Tennis legend Serena Williams has reportedly taken the first step in a potential comeback to the tennis court. According to Matthew Futterman of The Athletic, Williams has informed the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that she is pursuing reentry into tennis' International Registered Testing Pool. Williams' name was among others on an ITIA player pool list from Oct. 6. She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool, an ITIA spokesperson told The Athletic. I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is shes back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts. Players listed have to be in the pool for six months before being eligible to return to play. The 44-year-old Williams last played a competitive match during the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. The day after her defeat, she applied for official retirement with the ITIA, which meant she was exempt from random drug testing. The 23-time Grand Slam tournament winner told Porter magazine in a recent interview that she's still adjusting to no longer being on the court. Not as much as this time last year, Williams said about missing the sport. No matter how prepared you are to retire, and particularly from doing something every day at such a high level, its hard. I really prepped myself the best way I could, but its something thats still a little difficult. Williams has kept busy in her post-tennis life as a mom, with her foundation and as part of the Angel City FC ownership group along with her husband Alexis Ohanian, among numerous other ventures.
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