SERENA WILLIAMS SLAMS COMEBACK RUMORS: "I'M NOT COMING BACK"
Despite taking the required first step toward a return by re-registering with the ITIA, Serena Williams took to social media to definitively deny comeback rumours.
Serena Williams has shut down rumours about a possible tennis comeback. On Tuesday, she posted on social media, I'm NOT coming back. This came after an International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) rep said the 23-time Grand Slam champ had signed up with the sport's drug-testing group.
Signing up with the ITIA is usually the first thing a player does when thinking about ending retirement.
Williams, 44, hasn't played since saying goodbye at the 2022 U.S. Open. Back then, she said she wasn't retiring but instead taking time away from tennis.
It wasn't clear if Williams would play again, and she later posted, "Omg y'all, I'm NOT coming back." This wildfire is crazy.”
Her agent hasn't responded to requests for comment.
Brendan McIntyre, a U.S. Tennis Association rep, said in an email to The Associated Press, "We know Serena has filed the required forms with the International Tennis Integrity Agency to rejoin the International Registered Testing Pool." If Serena decides to play again, we and her fans will be thrilled to have one of the sport's greatest champions back.
Williams was a huge star, both on and off the court. If she came back, it would be big news.
Her decision to rejoin the ITIA testing pool, which takes care of anti-doping and anti-corruption, was first reported by Bounces.
She's on the list, and back in the testing pool, ITIA rep Adrian Bassett told the AP on Tuesday.
Players who return to testing must give details about where they are, including where they are when not at events and when they can give samples. Someone who quits while on the list and then returns must be available for testing for six months before playing again.
Serena's older sister, Venus, returned to tennis this July at 45 after being away for about 1 1/2 years. She never said she was retiring. At the U.S. Open, Venus was the oldest player to play singles at the American Grand Slam since 1981.
When Venus, a seven-time major singles champ, came back at the DC Open, she talked about wanting Serena to join her. Together, they won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.
I keep telling my team: It would be even better if she were here. "We always did everything together, so I miss her," Venus said when asked about a video of Serena swinging a racket. But if she comes back, she'll let you know.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC LANDS IN ATHENS AFTER HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN OPEN RUNNER-UP FINISH
After a historic loss to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic returns to his family in Athens to reset for the 2026 tennis season.
After losing his first Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic just wanted to see his family.
Djokovic landed in Athens on Tuesday, wrapping up two weeks away from home and marking his 38th appearance in a major final.
For the first time ever, Novak walked away from Rod Laver Arena with the runner-up trophy. At 36, he became the oldest finalist in Australian Open history, but Alcaraz stopped him in four sets: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The match lasted just over three hours.
This was Djokovic's first tournament in more than two months, and even so, he showed why people call him a legend. He cruised through the first three rounds and reached the last 16 without much fuss.
In the fourth round, Jakub Mensik had to pull out with an abdominal injury, so Novak got a walkover and saved some energy for the big matches ahead. But things nearly fell apart a few days later. Lorenzo Musetti took the first two sets in their quarterfinal, and for a moment, Djokovic looked like he might be headed home early. Then, out of nowhere, Musetti retired in the third set, and suddenly Novak was through to his 13th Australian Open semi-final.
Next up was Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champ. Djokovic had to dig deep. Twice he came back from a set down and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after more than four hours on court. He fought off 16 out of 18 break points and weathered over 70 winners from Sinner, proving that belief really does go a long way. At 36, he marched into his 38th major final.
Djokovic left everything on court against Alcaraz. He started strong, but the Spaniard found his rhythm and took control in the second and third sets, racking up five breaks. In the fourth, Novak saved six break points early on and kept pace, even earning a break chance at 4-all. Then he missed a forehand he’d usually make, and just like that, his shot at a fifth set slipped away.
Alcaraz broke late in the set and sealed the win, handing Djokovic his first-ever loss in an Australian Open final. Now, Novak’s taking some time off to be with his family. He’s expected back on court soon, probably in Doha, but right now, only he knows how his schedule will look.
WHO IS SAMUEL LOPEZ? MEET THE COACH BEHIND CARLOS ALCARAZ’S 2026 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GLORY
Discover the touching moment Carlos Alcaraz saw coach Samuel Lopez receive a trophy after his Australian Open victory.
Carlos Alcaraz just pulled off something huge—he beat Novak Djokovic in four sets (2:6, 6:2, 6:3, 7:5) to win the Australian Open. With this win, he joins the legends of the Open era, becoming one of the rare players to snag at least one title at all four Grand Slams.
Here’s the wild part: Alcaraz is just 22. Actually, he turns 23 on May 5, so he’s still got plenty of time. This marks his seventh Grand Slam title already. For a bit of perspective, Djokovic had only one Grand Slam trophy at Alcaraz’s age.
Since he’d never won the Australian Open before, Alcaraz didn’t really know the drill for the trophy ceremony. His coach, Samuel Lopez, got a trophy too, which caught Carlos off guard—in a good way. Their partnership has clearly paid off.
Talking to the media, Alcaraz said he loved that coaches get recognised with their own trophy. He hadn’t seen that before and thought it was a fantastic idea, since a champion’s journey isn’t a solo effort. Watching Samuel Lopez get his moment meant a lot to him. “It’s wonderful, and when I saw him there, I was so happy because I know Samuel has been working toward this moment his whole life. For me, he’s one of the best coaches—if not the best—you can have on a tennis court today. For me, it was a magical and incredibly special moment: hugging him after the last point and also seeing him there, with everyone recognising what he deserves,” Alcaraz said.
Not everyone was convinced after Alcaraz split with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and started working with Lopez. Some experts doubted whether he could keep dominating the tour this year. But after Melbourne, it looks like Alcaraz isn’t going anywhere. Even without Ferrero, he’s still leading the pack.
With three more Grand Slams coming up this season, it’s shaping up to be a wild ride. You get the feeling that we’ll be watching Alcaraz and Sinner battling for the biggest prizes all year long.