Serena Williams one step from return as ITIA eligibility opens door to Indian Wells

One step away from a comeback. Serena Williams will be eligible to return to the courts starting in February and would be ready to return to her first competition even within a few weeks, potentially at Indian Wells. The 23-time Grand Slam champion becomes eligible for the first time to participate in professional tournaments.

What seemed impossible — or mere speculation a couple of months ago — now appears increasingly close to becoming reality. Williams, retired since September 2022, applied for reinstatement to the ITIA’s Registered Testing Pool. This became known around December through tennis specialist Ben Rothenberg.

With this, Williams became eligible to undergo random anti-doping tests by the ITIA — something unusual if she were not considering a return. The American later denied on social media that she was returning to the courts, although that did not fully clear up doubts about a potential comeback.

A few weeks ago, she appeared on The Today Show, where she was once again asked whether she was thinking about returning to the WTA Tour, and Williams evasively refused to confirm or deny any possibility. “I’m just having fun and enjoying my life right now. I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens,” she said, laughing.

As Rothenberg reported again in Bounces, the 44-year-old applied to the ITIA’s Pool in August, meaning she will be available to return to the courts on February 22, less than two weeks from now. In this way, Williams could return to the courts within that same week.

According to Rothenberg, Serena Williams’ application would have been submitted in August precisely because, initially, the Olympic gold medallist had considered the possibility of competing at last year’s US Open, but was prevented by ITIA anti-doping regulations, which require players to be registered six months in advance in order to be eligible for random anti-doping controls.

There will be no major events during the week of February 23, with the WTA 250 ATX Open and Mérida set to be played. However, most of the top players will be focused on the start of Indian Wells one week later, beginning on March 2. The third WTA 1000 of the year and the first major event at which Serena could — potentially — receive a wildcard.