Serena Williams dispels retirement rumors, teases Wimbledon comeback

Serena Williams teased a return to Wimbledon on Thursday morning following the announcement that her longtime coach Patrick Mouratoglou will now work full-time with Simona Halep.

“I had a conversation with Serena, and the door opened for me, at least short term, to work with someone else,” Mouratoglou said in a statement.

Williams has not played in a tournament since Wimbledon in 2021, when she had to withdraw due to injury. That, combined with her coach’s move, sparked retirement speculation. But on her Instagram Story on Thursday, Williams teased her return.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is in Miami for a Bitcoin conference. She posted a video of herself hanging out with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers.

“We’ve been talking about my comeback!”

Serena Williams on her Instagram Story dispelling any assumptions that just because her longtime coach is working with someone else now, that doesn’t mean she’s done with tennis. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/kevz2yHO24

— Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) April 7, 2022

“We’ve been talking about my comeback,” she says in the video. “He’s been hyping me up and getting me ready for Wimbledon.”

Showing surprise at the mention of Wimbledon, Rogers mentions her playing in the U.S. Open. Williams replies: “Wimbledon is before the U.S. Open. I’ve got to play Wimbledon first!”

Williams also has mentioned a potential comeback on Twitter. In January, a fan asked her to come back, and Williams replied, “Coming!!!”

But while the retirement rumors seemingly have been dispelled for now, that doesn’t mean that the moment isn’t coming.

In a recent article on Elle, written by Williams herself , she noted that since giving birth to daughter Olympia in 2017 her priorities have shifted.

“The stakes of the game have shifted for me,” she writes. “I have 23 Grand Slams to my name, more than any other active player. But winning is now a desire and no longer a need. I have a beautiful daughter at home; I still want the titles, the success, and the esteem, but it’s not my reason for waking up in the morning. There is more to teach her about this game than winning.”