Serena Williams drops another comeback tease as legendary Billie Jean King shares her verdict
The Serena Williams comeback rumours refuse to go away, and the 23-time Grand Slam winner herself continues to tease her fans while fellow great Billie Jean King says she “would love it” if her fellow American does, indeed, return to the sport she loves.
Three years after playing her final top-level match at the 2022 US Open, Williams set off a wildfire when she rejoined the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)’s International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP).
Players can only compete in officially sanctioned tournaments if they have made themselves available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months before an event.
Once it became public knowledge that her name was on the list, it immediately led to speculation she is about to announce a comeback, but Williams attempted to stop the “wildfire” as she wrote on social media: “I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”
That, though, has not stopped the rumours about a return as several former players have asked, “Why put yourself on the list if you don’t want to make a comeback?”
Fellow former world No 1 Andy Roddick told his Served podcast: “The reason you go back into doping protocols is because you like the option of coming back, and I don’t know how else to read this.
“And I’m sure I’m going to get an angry email from someone saying I’m stoking the fire. Yep, I am.”
But Williams herself has stoked the fire as she posted another cryptic message on X, stating: “Feeling strongly about claiming my mojo back.”
Roddick is very much on the same page as the legendary King when it comes to Williams’ possible return to tennis as they believe it will be good for the sport.
King, who won 39 Grand Slam titles (12 in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles), shared her views on Sky Sports as she said: “I think she wants to try to play again. But I think she’s also very bright and very smart that she knows she’s not going to be No 1 again.
“But if you love to play, why not? I mean, she’s all set in life. She doesn’t need it financially, and she enjoys it.
“I met her when she was six and [sister] Venus was seven at a tennis clinic we gave in Long Beach, California. They came with their dad Richard. It was an amazing day. I’ll never forget it.
“We had the kids hit back and forth from the audience. Because they’re so exceptional. You could see right away they’re exceptional.
“Personally, I would love it [if Williams came back].”
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One of Williams’ key weapons during her peak was serve and King waxed lyrical about her perfect technique.
The 82-year-old added: “I want everyone to understand one thing about Serena. Serena has the most beautiful service game in the world, ever. No one’s ever had a better technique on their serve than Serena Williams.
“I saw it when she was six years old. I saw her serve. I went: ‘Oh my God, don’t change a thing’.
“If she does come back, I want people to appreciate her serve. Pete Sampras and I used to talk about it. Her serve is so perfect technically. All the kids out there that want to be great, watch her serve.
“Her serve is the all-time technique ever in the history of the game, still.”
