At 44, Serena Williams has regained the right to participate in Grand Slam tournaments and the WTA circuit. In fact, the six-month period during which the former world number 1 made herself available for surprise doping tests, a necessary requirement for a possible return to the professional circuit, has ended.
The expiry of checks
From today the winner of 23 Slam titles is formally free to register for tournaments, if she receives a wild card from the organizers. So far, however, the American has remained vague about her intentions.
“Unless she gets injured, there’s no doubt she’ll be back playing somewhere sooner or later,” Jim Courier said in January, underlining how challenging it is to be part of the group of players subjected to random drug tests. “No one who doesn’t intend to play professional tennis is going to put themselves on that list, especially someone with Serena Williams’ experience,” he added.
Doubts about returning
Williams herself, in December, denied rumors of a return. At the end of January, interviewed by the American television program “Today”, she however left a glimmer of light: «It’s neither yes nor no. I don’t know, I’ll see what happens.”