TENNIS: Serena to make much-awaited return at Queen's Club Championships

American great Serena Williams announced her long-anticipated return to competitive tennis on Monday. Following a prolonged absence, the 44-year-old will play at this month's Queen's Club Championships, a move that instantly reignited memories of her two-decade dominance over the sport.

Williams, who won the last of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles in 2017 and has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open, received a wild card entry into the doubles draw, the London-based club said in a statement.

Optimism peaked when she posted a video on social media showing her walking off a tennis court to a buzzing phone.

"Guess everybody heard the news," she said. The post was appropriately captioned: "Good news travels fast."

A Long-Awaited Return

Speculation around Williams' return had intensified after she was cleared to officially enter tournaments upon rejoining the tennis anti-doping testing pool last year.

"Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter," former world number one Williams, now a mother of two daughters, said in the statement.

"Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages."

Multiple reports in the British media indicated that Williams will team up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, after requesting a wild card for the June 8 to 14 tournament.

The attention will now shift to whether Wimbledon, where Williams won seven singles titles, will also offer her a path to compete at the All England Club when the grass-court Grand Slam gets underway on June 29.

'One of the Greatest Athletes of All Time'

Williams has been on a mission to get fit over the last few months, frequently posting about her fitness journey on social media after last playing on the WTA Tour in September 2022.

She had previously stepped away from professional tennis after a third-round loss at the U.S. Open. Before that event, she famously stated she was "evolving away from tennis" to prioritize other aspects of life, only to announce this stunning return nearly four years later.

The comeback also opens the door for a potential revival of her ultra-successful doubles partnership with her sister Venus, who is 15 months older and still playing on the circuit. Together, the legendary duo has captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Valerie Camillo, chair of the women's tennis governing body (WTA), said the tour was thrilled to welcome the younger Williams sister back.

"Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court... I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players," Camillo said. "We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women's tennis." -Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Chiranjit Ojha; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Christian Radnedge/Reuters