USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.
Story by
Serena Williams is back in drug-testing poolNancy Armour, USA TODAYTue, December 2, 2025 at 6:07 PM UTC·2 min readSerena Williams has opened the door to a comeback.
Williams has rejoined the International Tennis Integrity Agency's doping pool, a requirement for her to participate in sanctioned tournaments. Her name appears on the latest list of players who are in the International Registered Testing Pool, which was updated Oct. 6.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWilliams has to be in the testing pool for six months before she would be eligible to play again.
Williams' reentry to the doping pool was first reported by The Athletic.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the 2022 U.S. Open. She announced in August of that year that she was "evolving" away from tennis, in part because she and husband Alexis Ohanian wanted to have more children.
Aug. 24: Novak Djokovic hits to Learner Tien during their first-round match.
Aug. 24: Emma Navarro serves against Yafan Wang during their first-round match. Navarro won the match, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3.
Aug. 24: McCartney Kessler plays against Magda Linette during the first round. Kessler won the match, 7-5, 7-5.
Aug. 24: Marketa Vondrousova returns a shot to Oksana Selekhmeteva during the first round. Vondrousova won the match, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Aug. 24: Aryna Sabalenka hits to Rebeka Masarova during their first-round match. Sabalenka won the match, 7-5, 6-1.
Aug. 24: Leylah Fernandez reaches for a backhand against Rebecca Marino during their first-round match. Fernandez won the match, 6-2, 6-1.
Aug. 24: Leylah Fernandez serves against Rebecca Marino during the first round.
Aug. 24: Emma Raducanu hits the ball to Ena Shibahara during their first-round match. Raucanu won the match, 6-1, 6-2.
Aug. 24: Emma Raducanu serves the ball to Ena Shibahara.
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton reacts after hitting a winner against Ignacio Buse.
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton hits to Ignacio Buse during the first round. Shelton won the match, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Aug. 24: Ignacio Buse hits to Ben Shelton during their first-round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton hits to Ignacio Buse during their first-round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Aug. 24: Alejandro Davidovich signs autographs for fans after his first-round match against Alexander Shevchenko. Davidovich won the match, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Aug. 24: View at Louis Armstrong Stadium during the first round of the US Open.1 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Novak Djokovic hits to Learner Tien during their first-round match.1 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Novak Djokovic hits to Learner Tien during their first-round match.2 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Emma Navarro serves against Yafan Wang during their first-round match. Navarro won the match, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3.3 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: McCartney Kessler plays against Magda Linette during the first round. Kessler won the match, 7-5, 7-5.4 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Marketa Vondrousova returns a shot to Oksana Selekhmeteva during the first round. Vondrousova won the match, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).5 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Aryna Sabalenka hits to Rebeka Masarova during their first-round match. Sabalenka won the match, 7-5, 6-1.6 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Leylah Fernandez reaches for a backhand against Rebecca Marino during their first-round match. Fernandez won the match, 6-2, 6-1.7 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Leylah Fernandez serves against Rebecca Marino during the first round.8 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Emma Raducanu hits the ball to Ena Shibahara during their first-round match. Raucanu won the match, 6-1, 6-2.9 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Emma Raducanu serves the ball to Ena Shibahara.10 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton reacts after hitting a winner against Ignacio Buse.11 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton hits to Ignacio Buse during the first round. Shelton won the match, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.12 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Ignacio Buse hits to Ben Shelton during their first-round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.13 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Ben Shelton hits to Ignacio Buse during their first-round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.14 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: Alejandro Davidovich signs autographs for fans after his first-round match against Alexander Shevchenko. Davidovich won the match, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.15 / 15Top photos from the 2025 US Open, the year's final tennis Grand Slam
Aug. 24: View at Louis Armstrong Stadium during the first round of the US Open."Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair," Williams wrote in an Aug. 9, 2022, essay in Vogue. "But I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWilliams had her second daughter, Adira, in August 2023.
Williams revealed in August that she had lost 31 pounds after going on a GLP-1 drug, and credited the medication with finally helping relieve the joint pain she'd had since having her first daughter, Olympia, in September 2017.
"I had a lot of knee issues," Williams said during an appearance on the "Today" show. "Especially after I had my kid (and) was never able to get to my normal levels of weight. And that, quite frankly, definitely had an effect on maybe some wins that I could have had in my career."
Williams has immersed herself in various business ventures since stepping away from tennis. In an interview with Porter magazine, published Monday, she said not playing tennis was still "difficult," but she missed it less than she once had.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Not as much as this time last year,” she told the magazine. “No matter how prepared you are to retire, and particularly from doing something every day at such a high level, it’s hard. I really prepped myself the best way I could, but it’s something that’s still a little difficult.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Serena Williams opens door to comeback with reentry into drug pool
AdvertisementAdvertisement
