Serena Williams’ long-running comeback buzz has received its clearest update yet. After months of speculation, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has officially confirmed the date when the 23-time Grand Slam champion will complete the final administrative requirement needed to compete again.

Back in December, the ITIA told BBC Sport that Williams had rejoined the registered drug-testing pool, meaning she must provide daily one-hour whereabouts for testing. Hours later, the 44-year-old pushed back on the comeback narrative with a social media post saying, “I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.” Yet, by late January, she softened her stance during an appearance on the Today Show, admitting, “I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens,” while declining to clarify her status in the testing pool. Now, the latest update suggests she has officially crossed the final administrative hurdle required for a possible return.

On Monday, the International Tennis Integrity Agency updated its list of reinstated players, confirming that Williams will complete her six-month reentry period in the anti-doping testing pool on February 22, just 12 days away from today. A renowned tennis voice (Ben Rothenberg) amplified the development on social media, writing, “The Serena comeback is now officially official.”

With that date locked in, Williams would have enough time – if she chooses to feature at the ATP-WTA 1000 Indian Wells main draw beginning March 4, or potentially target Miami, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, or even Wimbledon. Singles, doubles, or mixed doubles, the legendary American will be eligible across formats.

Now that her eligibility is fully confirmed, attention turns to whether Williams will publicly address her intentions for the first time since stepping away at the 2022 US Open. Notably, the 23-time Grand Slam champion has never embraced the term “retirement,” instead describing her exit as “evolving away” from the sport in New York. But as of now, she hasn’t released any further statements on this.

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Williams’ résumé remains unmatched in the Open era. Only Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic sit ahead of her in the all-time Grand Slam singles tally, while her collection of seven Australian Open titles, three French Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, and six US Open titles stands as the most major singles titles won by any woman since 1968.

Her legacy also extends beyond singles success. Alongside sister Venus Williams – still active on the WTA Tour—the duo captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals, establishing one of the most dominant partnerships the sport has ever seen.

Amid the swirling speculation, American Alycia Parks, currently ranked World No. 77 and fresh off a first-round win over Diana Shnaider at the 2026 Qatar Open, offered a revealing update. Parks disclosed that she recently shared the practice court with Williams. “I actually practiced with her last Monday. And I messaged her yesterday. She’s definitely a good mentor to me, and she’s helped me a lot, especially in my practices,” Parks said.

While she stopped short of confirming any inside knowledge about a comeback, Parks insisted that Williams would still be a force if she chose to return. “She is in great shape. So I think she would kill it on tour,” she added, reinforcing the growing belief that the door to Serena’s return remains very much open.

With eligibility now settled and whispers from the locker room growing louder, several prominent voices across the tennis world have begun weighing in on what a Serena Williams comeback could mean for the sport.

Serena Williams’ comeback speculations have kept the tennis world buzzing in the last couple of months

Serena Williams’ potential return has become one of tennis’ most talked-about storylines in recent months, with fresh updates and insider opinions continuing to fuel anticipation across the sport. Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski recently shared his theory on the debut episode of his podcast Off Court with Greg, suggesting that Serena might not necessarily return in singles first.

Instead, he believes the 23-time Grand Slam champion could reunite with her sister, Venus Williams, for a symbolic farewell in doubles. “For me, I think she might play some doubles with Venus,” Rusedski said, adding that such a moment – possibly at Wimbledon or the US Open—would perfectly bookend the sisters’ legendary journey together. Serena’s former long-time coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has also openly supported the idea of a comeback.

The French coach, who worked with Serena Williams from 2012 to 2022, stated on Instagram that he would “love to see” her return in 2026, emphasizing that recent training footage shows she is “ready physically.” His comments only strengthened the growing belief that the American icon still possesses the fitness required to compete at the highest level. Adding another layer to the conversation, Rick Macci – who coached both Serena and Venus early in their careers – suggested that doubles alongside Venus could be the most likely scenario. Taking to social media, Macci noted that while singles cannot be ruled out, a Williams sisters reunion would be “must-see TV.”

Current players have also weighed in on the possibility. After her win over Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open, Aryna Sabalenka expressed a supportive stance, saying that while Serena appears to be enjoying life away from the tour, any decision to return would be welcomed by the locker room. According to Sabalenka, seeing the 23-time Grand Slam champion back in action would simply be “fun” for the sport.

Former world No. 1 Jim Courier provided a more technical perspective on the situation, pointing out how demanding the anti-doping “Whereabouts” system is. Speaking to 9News, Courier explained that retired players rarely volunteer for the testing pool without serious competitive intentions, given the strict daily location requirements and the severe penalties for missed tests. His assessment has further fueled speculation that Williams’ administrative steps may not be purely procedural.

Meanwhile, a separate development involving Venus Williams has only intensified the chatter. With Venus currently entered in doubles at the Austin Open – and her partner yet to be announced – fans have begun to wonder whether Serena could emerge as a surprise teammate. Notably, the doubles draw begins on February 23, just one day after Serena’s eligibility window officially opens, creating a timeline that has only amplified excitement around a possible Williams sisters reunion. What are your thoughts on Serena Williams’ comeback speculations, though?