Serena Williams, 45, Returns to Tennis at HSBC Championships 2026

Tennis legend Serena Williams is set to make a sensational return to competitive tennis, ending a nearly four-year hiatus that had left fans wondering if they had seen her final match. The 45-year-old, a winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, has confirmed her participation in the women's doubles draw at the upcoming HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London, a WTA 500 grass-court tournament. Frances Tiafoe Offers Deal to Fan Who Stole His Racket at French Open 2026.

Williams will team up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, a pairing that has already generated significant buzz across the tennis world. The announcement, which comes after months of speculation, was made on Monday, June 1, 2026, and has sent ripples of excitement through the sport, with the event seen as a crucial warm-up for Wimbledon.

The Return to Queen's Club

The HSBC Championships, hosted at the historic Queen's Club in West Kensington, London, marks a significant moment for both Williams and the tournament. The women's event, a WTA 500 tournament, will see its main draw matches run from Monday, June 8, to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with qualifying rounds having begun on Saturday, June 6.

This is the second year in a row that Queen's Club is hosting a women's WTA event, marking its return after a 50-year absence, following a new three-year deal between the LTA and BBC Sport. Williams expressed her enthusiasm in a statement released by the tournament: “Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter. Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages.”

Williams' Hiatus and Anticipation

Serena Williams last played a professional match at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. At the time, she described her departure as "evolving away from tennis" rather than a formal retirement, leaving the door open for a potential comeback. Her appearance in the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) anti-doping testing pool further fueled rumors of her return.

Now, at 45 years old (born September 26, 1981), Williams will step back onto the grass courts where she has claimed numerous titles, including seven Wimbledon singles championships. Her partnership with Victoria Mboko, a promising 19-year-old Canadian player, highlights a blend of seasoned experience and youthful talent in the doubles field.

The tournament promises to be one of the biggest sporting moments of the year, with limited tickets still available for the women's WTA 500 event. Her comeback is expected to reignite interest and competition as the grass-court season progresses towards Wimbledon.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2026 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).