Serena Williams Eyes WTA Berlin Comeback: 23-Time Grand Slam Champion Reportedly Seeks Wildcard for June Grass-Court Event
Tennis legend Serena Williams is reportedly planning a return to the WTA Tour at the Berlin Tennis Open, an event she has not played in 18 years, with multiple German media outlets reporting she has requested a doubles wildcard.
The Berlin Plan
Speculation is mounting that Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, will make her return to professional tennis at the WTA tournament in Berlin. The grass-court event, held at the Steffi-Graf-Stadion in the Grunewald district, is scheduled to run from 13 to 21 June and serves as a key warm-up for Wimbledon. According to reports from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) and Bild, the 44-year-old American has applied for a wildcard to compete in the doubles competition. The tournament organizer has declined to comment on the rumors.
A Coordinated Comeback
Hints of a larger plan are emerging. Before the Berlin reports surfaced, British newspaper The Telegraph indicated that Williams had also sought a wildcard for the Queen's Club tournament in London, which begins on 8 June. There, she is expected to play doubles alongside Canadian player Victoria Mboko. The podcast of former professional Andy Roddick has also stated that Williams applied for a Berlin wildcard. If she competes in both events, it would mark a significant, multi-tournament return to the tour.
- Serena Williams plays her final match at the US Open, marking her official retirement.
- Williams re-enters the anti-doping testing pool, sparking initial comeback rumors.
- Williams gives an ambiguous interview, stating her comeback is 'neither a yes nor a no.'
- Reports emerge that Williams has applied for wildcards at Queen's Club and Berlin.
- Queen's Club tournament begins; Williams expected to play doubles with Victoria Mboko.
- Berlin Tennis Open begins; Williams reportedly seeks a doubles wildcard for the event.
Hints and Denials
Williams officially retired from the sport at the 2022 US Open, but speculation about a comeback has been building since last year, when she re-entered the anti-doping testing pool—a necessary step for any player planning to return to competition. In January, when asked directly about a potential return, she remained deliberately ambiguous.
That is neither a yes nor a no. I don't know, I'll just wait and see what happens.
The Doubles Partner
Victoria Mboko, the Canadian player named as Williams's potential partner for the Queen's Club event, has fueled the rumors with her own comments. When questioned about the partnership at the French Open, Mboko did not deny the reports, instead stating she wanted to leave the announcement to Williams herself.
I want to leave the moment to her. If she is ready for a comeback, she should announce it herself.
A Historic Return
If Williams takes the court in Berlin, it will be her first appearance in the German capital in 18 years. While her sister Venus Williams, 45, remains sporadically active on the tour, Serena's return would be a seismic event for the sport. She is widely considered the greatest tennis player in history, despite Australian Margaret Court holding one more major singles title.
