Nobody in tennis saw this coming. After stepping away from the sport in 2022 at age 40 Serena Williams spent years building businesses and raising her daughters. Then in 2026 she walked onto a professional court again. Fans filled the stands and cameras followed every move she made. This article tells the full story of one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen. It covers her childhood and her record breaking career and her family and her business life. It also explains what really happened during her 2026 comeback and what could come next.
Quick Facts
Her full name is Serena Jameka Williams. She was born on September 26 1981 and she turned 45 last month. She turned pro in October 1995 and she lives in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. She is married to Alexis Ohanian and they have two daughters named Olympia and Adira.
Early Life and Training
She grew up in Compton California and started playing tennis at the age of four. Serena Williams family later moved to Florida when she was nine. Her father Richard Williams and her mother Oracene Price coached her and her older sister Venus. Richard also kept the girls home schooled so they could focus on tennis. Few people believed two sisters from Compton could rise to the top of a sport that was mostly played at private clubs. They proved everyone wrong.
The bond with Venus
Venus and Serena became partners and rivals at the same time. They played each other in major finals and they teamed up in doubles. That bond shaped Serena Williams as both an athlete and a person. Venus was always the first one to show her what was possible. Years later they would still be walking onto big courts together.
The Rise to the Top
Serena Williams won her first major at the 1999 US Open when she was only 17. After that the titles kept coming. Her power and her serve changed how women played the game. Opponents struggled to return her first serve and her mental toughness stood out in tight matches.
A record that still stands
Her numbers are hard to believe. She won 23 major singles titles which is the most by any woman in the Open era. Only Margaret Court has more with 24. She also won 73 singles titles and four Olympic gold medals. She spent 319 weeks as the world number one. At Wimbledon she won seven singles titles and six doubles titles with Venus. She also won six US Open singles titles.
The Golden Slam and the Serena Slam
Her 2012 Olympic gold in London completed the career Golden Slam in singles. That year she began a run where she won eight of thirteen majors. It included four in a row from 2014 into 2015 which gave her a second Serena Williams Slam. Even today players and coaches say that stretch was among the best in tennis history.
Motherhood and the Final Chapters
In January 2017 she won the Australian Open for her 23rd major title. She later shared that she was about two months pregnant at the time. Her daughter Olympia was born in September of that year. She came back to the tour in 2018 and made it to four more major finals. She lost all four. Her last major final came at the 2019 US Open where she lost to Bianca Andreescu. The 24th title never arrived.
Stepping Away in 2022
In August 2022 she wrote a first person essay in Vogue. She did not use the word retirement because it did not feel modern to her. She called it an evolution away from tennis. Her last match came at the 2022 US Open in a third round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic. It lasted three hours and five minutes and it was the longest match at a major in her career. The crowd gave her a loud and long goodbye.
Business and Family Life
Away from tennis she focused on her family and her companies. Her venture firm Serena Williams Ventures backs young businesses and her fashion line S by Serena grew steadily. Her second daughter Adira was born in 2023. Alexis Ohanian who co founded Reddit is her husband and a big supporter. She has often said that being a mother is the role that matters most to her.
The 2026 Comeback
Late in 2025 news broke that she had put her name back into tennis’s drug testing pool. It is a step every player must take before returning. Rumors spread quickly. In December she posted online that she was not coming back. Six months later the story changed.
Return at Queen’s Club
On June 1 2026 she announced that she had accepted a wild card into the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London. She said the tournament felt like the perfect place to begin a new chapter. The event called it the return of the queen. She teamed up with 19 year old Victoria Mboko. The run ended early because her partner got hurt.
Singles at Wimbledon
Next came a bigger surprise. Wimbledon gave her a wild card into the singles draw. She had not played singles in almost four years. In her first match she faced 20 year old Maya Joint from Australia and lost in three sets. Soon after she hurt her knee. She had to pull out of the planned doubles event with Venus at Wimbledon.
Cincinnati and the US Open
She kept playing anyway. At the Cincinnati Open in August she played doubles with Venus and they lost in a match tiebreaker. Then the sisters received a wild card into the US Open doubles draw. On September 4 they played their first round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Fans held signs welcoming the Williams Show. The sisters lost to Joint and Chan Hao Ching after a thrilling three hour match. They led 5 to 0 in the final tiebreak before their opponents won ten of the next twelve points. She also played mixed doubles with Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz at his request.
What she says about it
In an interview on Good Morning America at the end of August she explained her goals. She said she wanted her daughters to see her play and to learn that anything is possible at any age. She added that her mindset changed to having fun. When asked about singles she said she would probably play again because she felt she needed at least one better return. She also admitted that the knee injury at Wimbledon left her no time to recover before New York.
What Could Come Next
Reports say she wants to be fully ready for singles in 2027. That timeline could point toward the Australian Open in January. Her coach Rennae Stubbs said she had a lot to weigh including her family and her businesses. Commentator Caroline Wozniacki said she believes Serena wants to return to singles next year. Nothing is confirmed yet. Her health will decide most of it.
Her Legacy
Whatever happens next her place in sport is secure. She changed how power looked in women’s tennis. She also opened doors for many young Black players who saw someone who looked like them winning at the highest level. Her influence reaches fashion and business and culture as well. Few athletes become icons beyond their sport. She did it with confidence and honesty.
Final Thoughts
The story of Serena Williams is far from a simple retirement tale. She won more than almost anyone in history and she walked away on her own terms. Four years later she chose to come back not for trophies but for her children and for the joy of playing. The results in 2026 were not perfect but the effort was real. If she plays singles again in 2027 the tennis world will be watching every point.
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FAQs
Who is Serena Williams?
She is an American tennis legend who won 23 major singles titles.
How old is she?
She was born on September 26 1981 so she is 45 years old.
How many Grand Slam titles did she win?
She won 23 major singles titles and that is the most by a woman in the Open era.
Did she retire from tennis?
She stepped away in 2022 and then returned to the tour in June 2026.
Who beat her at Wimbledon in 2026?
Australian player Maya Joint beat her in three sets.
Who are her daughters?
Her daughters are Olympia and Adira.
