“I’m not retired,” Serena Williams said recently, seemingly teasing fans about a potential return to the court.

The 41-year-old tennis legend announced in August that she would “evolve away from tennis” after the US Open in September, which served as a celebration of her illustrious career.

“I have never liked the word retirement,” she told Vogue in the cover story announcing her plans.

When speaking recently at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference about her investment company Serena Ventures, Williams addressed a potential comeback to the sport.

“The chances are very high,” Williams said. “You come to my house, I’ve got a court.”

When asked about a return to tennis in a Good Morning America” interview last month, Williams said, “You never know.” She also said NFL quarterback Tom Brady had “started a really cool trend.”

Brady announced his retirement at the end of last season but later returned and is currently in his 23rd season.

While Williams won’t call herself retired, she did enter her name onto the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s Retired Players List on Sept. 6. In order to make a comeback, she would have to remove herself from that list at least six months prior to a sanctioned event.

“The players listed here have declared themselves retired from the sport and may not return to sanctioned events unless they have made themselves available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months prior to the event in question,” the ITIA website reads.

Thus, a return to the 2023 Australian Open would be out of the question. She had previously joked about a return at the year’s first major.

As Williams plays coy about her retirement, other American stars are on the rise. With the release of the new WTA rankings, teenager Coco Gauff is up to fourth in the world, while Jessica Pegula rose two places to No. 3. Both are career-highs for the players.

It’s the first time that a pair of American women have reached the top four in the WTA rankings since Serena and Venus Williams in 2010.

Chicago Red Stars forward Kealia Watt has welcomed a baby boy with husband JJ Watt, who plays defensive end for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

The couple announced back in June that they were expecting their first child. They welcomed Koa James Watt to the world Sunday, they revealed Tuesday night via Instagram.

“Love and happiness have reached heights we never even knew existed,” the couple wrote in their Instagram post.

Watt, who led the Red Stars in scoring last season with five goals, missed the start of the 2022 season while recovering from an ACL tear she suffered during the 2021 NWSL semifinals. She remained out for the rest of the season after announcing her pregnancy.

The forward joins a long list of NWSL stars to become a member of the mom club this year. Both Allie Long and Julie Ertz announced pregnancies in April, and Crystal Dunn has made a complete comeback to the NWSL after giving birth in May.

Chicago Red Stars forward Kealia Watt announced Thursday that she and her husband, NFL star JJ Watt, are expecting their first child.

Watt played in 26 games for the Red Stars last season, leading the team with five goals scored and adding four assists.

She has been absent for the start of the 2022 season while recovering from an ACL tear she suffered during the 2021 NWSL semifinals. In February, the Red Stars said that Watt would “join the team when she’s ready,” though the news of her pregnancy will shift the timeline for her return.

Watt is due in October of this year. The NWSL regular season ends on October 2 with a match between Chicago and Angel City before the postseason gets underway.

The Red Stars forward isn’t the only NWSL player expecting a baby this season. Crystal Dunn of the Portland Thorns welcomed a baby boy in late May while both Allie Long and Julie Ertz also are expecting.

The Chicago Red Stars confirmed Wednesday that star forward Kealie Watt tore her ACL during the NWSL semifinal last season, according to Claire Watkins.

Watt is currently doing rehabilitation at home and will “join the team when she’s ready.”

The forward exited the team’s semifinal game against the Portland Thorns in the 28th minute and did not return. The Red Stars took down the Thorns and advanced to the championship game, where they lost to the Washington Spirit.

A member of the Red Stars since 2020, when she was acquired via a trade with Houston, Watt played in 26 games during the 2021 season. She led the team with five goals scored as well as four assists.

NWSL players reported to preseason camps on Tuesday with the 2022 Challenge Cup beginning March 16.

The Chicago Red Stars had everything thrown at them during the NWSL playoffs, with a string of key players sidelined due to injury.

While Chicago was able to overcome adversity in their semifinal matchup against the Portland Thorns, the team’s absences were too much for the Red Stars in the final, losing the NWSL Championship 2-1 to the Washington Spirit.

The team first had to play without Mallory Pugh and Kayla Sharples, who were under COIVD-19 protocols, during the team’s semifinal. The two players joined Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher and Casey Krueger on the Red Stars’ growing injury list.

Then, during their match against the Thorns, forward Kealia Watt went down early with an injury that would force her off the pitch for the rest of the semifinal and the final.

The title matchup brought more bad luck for Chicago, with Pugh returning from COVID-19 isolation, but leaving the game with an injury at halftime.

Vanessa DiBernardo also exited the match early with an apparent knock. That left the team without consistent starters Pugh, Watt, Ertz, DiBernardo, Krueger, and Naeher. The squad also had to contend with a late injury to defender Tatumn Milazzo.

Despite the critical absences, the Red Stars still came just a goal shy of Washington, showcasing grit in unprecedented circumstances.

Saturday’s loss marks the second NWSL Championship run for Chicago, with the club also finishing as runner-ups in the 2019 title match against North Carolina.

The Chicago Red Stars are heading to the playoffs after downing the Orlando Pride 1-0 on Friday night.

With a postseason spot on the line, the Red Stars played with a sense of urgency from the opening whistle, letting off 10 shots in the first half alone.

Chicago’s first goal, however, wouldn’t come until the 65th minute. Kealia Watt, beating her defender, cut inside before striking a stunner beyond an outstretched Erin McLeod to make it 1-0.

Friday’s win marks the Red Stars’ third consecutive victory to end the regular season. The match was also a record-breaker for defender Sarah Gorden, who became Chicago’s first Iron Woman, playing every minute of the 2021 season.

Clinching a playoff spot and home-field advantage, the Red Stars are now the first NWSL club to make the playoffs six years in a row. Chicago’s quarterfinal match will take place on Nov. 9 at SeatGeek Stadium.

Canadian superstar Christine Sinclair scored a dazzling goal against Chicago on Saturday, marking her fourth this season for the Portland Thorns.

But the Red Stars rallied to beat the Thorns, 2-1, handing Portland their second loss in their last three games.

Sinclair, 38, scored in the 24th minute to open the scoring for both sides. Surrounded by defenders, Crystal Dunn was able to tap the ball to an open Sinclair outside the box. On a one-time shot, the veteran forward sent the ball off the inside of the far post and into the net.

The Thorns goal was quickly answered with an equalizer from Kealia Watt of the Red Stars in the 25th minute.

Neither team was able to edge ahead until Rachel Hill scored the eventual game-winner in the 65th minute off an assist from Mallory Pugh.

Up next, the Thorns host the second-place OL Reign on Saturday, Oct. 2, in a match-up with major playoff implications.