“The chances [of me returning] are very high” Serena Williams continues to tease about playing again

Speculation around whether Serena Williams will play another tournament continues as the American sends another signal that she may return

Serena Williams at the 2022 US Open Image Credit: I/Reuters/Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

October 20, 2022

Even in her retirement, or what she called her evolution from the sport, Serena Williams continues to remain an enigma. Wait a minute, is Serena Williams actually retired? No one knows the real answer and the 23-time Grand Slam champion added to the mystery with her latest comments in her first public appearance since her send-off party at the US Open.

Williams was at the TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco on Wednesday to promote her fund, Serena Ventures, and it was no surprise that the conversation moved back to her tennis, which is when the 40-year-old said that the chances of her playing again are very high.

“I am not retired,” Williams said as per The San Francisco Standard. “The chances [of me returning] are very high. You can come to my house and [see] I have a court.”

This is the latest mixed signal that Serena has sent since she penned a heart-felt first person easy in Vogue magazine to talk about her decision to step away from the sport and focus on being a mom and expanding her family. However, more than once at the US Open, her supposed final event, she said she is not sure if she had played her last match, but she did send Roger Federer a “welcome to the retirement club” message upon the Swiss’ retirement announcement.

“I waited 17 years to win my first Grand Slam. So I can wait.” – Serena Williams on success in the investing world

Despite all that, Williams said she has not had too much time to dwell upon her retirement as she has been busy with her venture fund. “I started this company a while ago, so I just jumped right into that,” Williams said at the event. “I didn’t even think about the whole retirement. I still haven’t really thought about it. But I did go on the court the other day and [realized] for the first time in my life that I’m not playing for a competition and that felt very weird. It was like the first day of the rest of my life, and so far, I am enjoying it. But I’m still trying to find that balance.”

Serena Williams at the 2022 US Open in New York Image Credit: AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic

While her business acumen along with her on-court prize money and off-court endorsements have made Serena Williams one of the wealthiest athletes in the world, Serena says she is in no hurry to climb to the pinnacle of the investing world, which she knows is a long-drawn affair.

“The tennis [Serena] is very intense, but as I got older, the meaning of my name has enveloped me,” Williams said. “I am very calm and chill. I waited 17 years to win my first Grand Slam. So I can wait.”

For now, it’s the turn of her fans to wait and see whether she will make a comeback to the women’s tour to compete.