Serena Williams, 44, denies wanting to resume her tennis career

Hours after Tuesday’s announcement that Serena Williams had been reinstated to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)-registered testing pool, the 23-time major champion disputed that this meant she was planning a return to the sport.

“Oh my God I am NOT coming back,” Williams, 44, posted on X. “This wildfire is crazy”

Oh my God, I will NOT come back. This forest fire is crazy-

– Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) December 2, 2025

Williams, widely considered the greatest player in the history of the sport, retired from tennis in 2022 after the US Open. She has since reportedly asked to be reinstated and her name appears on the most recent list of players in the test squad, dated October 6. The Athletic first reported Williams’ inclusion on the roster Tuesday.

Jill Smoller, Williams’ longtime agent, has not yet responded to ESPN’s request for comment.

As per protocol, Williams officially declared herself retired from ITIA in 2022, which meant she would no longer be subject to routine drug testing. Her name remains listed on the site as retired, but she would be eligible to return to competition and be listed as a reinstated player after six months of active participation in the pool. These players – most of whom are in the top 100 – must report their whereabouts at all times, every day, and participate in random testing. It’s unclear why Williams would subject herself to such strict scrutiny if she had no plans to play again.

Williams’ older sister Venus, 45, made her return to the WTA Tour in July after a 16-month absence. After a memorable first-round elimination at the US Open, Serena expressed her pride and admiration for her sister on social media and added, “PS, I hope I’m like you,” at the end of her message. Venus was repeatedly asked about a potential Serena return throughout the summer, and she admitted that she never wanted her to retire.

“I mean, I keep telling my team, ‘The only thing that would make things better is if she was here,’ like we always did everything together, so of course I miss her,” Venus said at the Citi Open in July. “But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let you know.”

Venus recently accepted a wild card to play at the Auckland Open in January. Serena won the last WTA title of her career, and the only one after returning from maternity leave, at the tournament in 2020.