Serena Williams ends her nearly four-year WTA Tour absence next week at the HSBC Championships in London, competing in doubles alongside 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko. The 23-time major champion confirmed her return after re-entering the sport's drug-testing pool, following months of speculation about her comeback.

Williams initially denied retirement rumors in December but now embraces the grass-court season. She faces Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round, with top-seeded Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic also in the 16-team doubles draw. Recent practice footage shows her signature backhand remains sharp, with Alycia Parks noting Williams practiced up to three times weekly during winter sessions.

The former world No. 1 left the door open in 2022, refusing to call it retirement and citing family expansion as her focus. Now 44, Williams says this return centers on enjoyment rather than record-chasing, though she fell short of Margaret Court's 24 major singles titles.

Beyond Queen's Club, Williams enters the Berlin Open on June 15 before likely targeting Wimbledon later this month. As an unranked player, she'll need wild cards for entry, which shouldn't prove difficult given her seven singles and six doubles titles at the All England Club. Whether she plays singles anywhere remains unclear.