After reports started coming out that retired tennis legend Serena Williams had re-entered the drug testing pool, there was speculation that she would be making a comeback. Still, once she caught wind of the same rumors, she quickly shut it down on social media.
According to The Athletic, the Compton-raised Williams reportedly contacted the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to request reentry into the International Registered Testing Pool. After contacting the organization’s spokesperson, speculation was leaning toward Williams gearing up for a comeback to the sport she has dominated for years.
In a text message to the media outlet, Adrian Bassett, a spokesperson for the ITIA, stated, “She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool.”
Williams’ name appears on the updated list of players dated Oct. 6, but Bassett did not know if that meant she was doing that to get back on the tennis court.
“I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is she’s back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts.”
Almost as soon as the news started to float around the media, Williams took to social media to dispel any rumors of her coming back.
Now that she has put that rumor to rest, the organization requires its players to provide details of their whereabouts at a given time every day of the year. Anyone who has recently reentered the list must be in the pool for six months before being eligible to play in a tournament.
So, if she were to come out of retirement, she would not be able to play until April 2026, but since she has already stated that she is “NOT coming back,” it does not matter at this point. Yet folks are wondering why she is back in the pool; only she knows.
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