• Serena Williams listed as eligible to return to competition on Feb. 22 by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
  • The 23-time Grand Slam champ registered with the testing pool six months earlier; no schedule or tournament has been announced.
  • Williams has not played since the 2022 US Open and has said she is “evolving” away from tennis.

H2: ITIA lists Serena Williams as eligible on Feb. 22

Serena Williams has cleared a key administrative step toward a possible playing comeback. The sport’s anti-doping and integrity body, the International Tennis Integrity Agency, shows Williams on its reinstatement page as eligible to return to competition on Feb. 22 — roughly six months after she entered the whereabouts and testing pool.

H3: What the eligibility date means

Athletes who re-enter the testing pool must be available for out-of-competition testing for six months before they can compete again. That requirement is intended to ensure fairness and adherence to anti-doping rules. Williams’ listing means she has satisfied the paperwork and timing requirements; it does not, however, confirm any entry into a tournament or a public plan to play.

H2: No confirmed plan — questions remain

Williams, 44, has not played a professional match since the 2022 US Open and publicly avoided the word “retirement,” instead saying she was “evolving.” When news surfaced last year that she had rejoined the testing pool, her social media reply included: “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”

Her agent and representatives had not issued a statement about immediate plans after the ITIA listing. The WTA Tour spokeswoman did not comment publicly on Monday.

H3: Reactions from U.S. tennis and family

The U.S. Tennis Association previously said it would “enthusiastically welcome” Williams back if she chose to return. Venus Williams, Serena’s older sister and long-time doubles partner, returned to competition last year at age 45 and has expressed publicly that she would love to see Serena back on tour.

H2: Context and what to watch next

If Serena decides to compete, she could choose a schedule focused on specific events rather than a full tour calendar. Any comeback would attract major media attention and likely draw wild-card invites from tournament organizers, but first the former No. 1 must decide if she wants to transition from eligibility to active entry.

For fans waiting for confirmation, the key signs to watch are an entry list appearance, an official statement from Williams or her camp, or social posts that suggest she is preparing for match play. If those appear, live tracking and tennis coverage will update with schedules and scores.

H4: Stay updated

Serena’s ITIA eligibility is an important procedural milestone — not a guarantee of play. Fans tracking potential matches can follow official entry lists, Serena’s social accounts, and live tennis coverage for announcements and tennis scores today.

Image Referance: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/47878193/serena-williams-nears-return-eligibility-no-plan-announced