Serena Williams has not confirmed that she plans to return to professional tennis, but the 23-time Grand Slam champion has taken a step in that direction.

Williams, 44, caught fans’ attention on Tuesday, December 2, when The Athletic reported that she has re-entered the sport’s International Registered Testing Pool. Her name appears on the list of players in that pool, last updated October 6, the outlet reported.

“She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool,” ITIA spokesperson Adrian Bassett told The Athletic in a text message Tuesday. “I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is she’s back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts.”

Williams last played in the 2022 U.S. Open, where, at age 37,

See Full Page