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Serena Williams Calls Potential Return 'Not Yes or No' on Today Show

An ITIA spokesman says she asked to rejoin the sport’s anti-doping pool, triggering a six-month wait before any sanctioned event.

Overview

  • Asked about a comeback on the Today Show, the 23-time major champion said her answer was 'not yes or no' and that she would see what happens.
  • An ITIA spokesperson, Adrian Bassett, confirmed to The Athletic that Williams requested re-entry into tennis’s international testing pool.
  • Under anti-doping rules, an athlete must be in the registered testing pool for six months before competing in official tournaments.
  • Reporting from The Athletic has speculated that a mixed-doubles wildcard at the 2026 US Open could be a plausible route if she returns.
  • Former world No. 1 Jim Courier argued that voluntarily entering the testing pool signals competitive intent for a player of Williams’s experience.