The sports world received an exciting plot twist this summer when 23-time major champion Serena Williams made an improbable return to Grand Slam tennis at Wimbledon at 44. After a grueling three-set singles loss to Maya Joint and a knee injury that forced her to withdraw from doubles alongside her sister Venus, questions immediately swirled about whether her high-profile comeback was already over. However, Williams recently sent social media into a frenzy with an encouraging health update and a subtle hint about her plans for Flushing Meadows and the 2026 US Open.
Encouraging Health Updates From Serena Williams
After weeks of uncertainty following her Wimbledon doubles withdrawal, Williams took to TikTok to give her millions of followers the news they had been desperately waiting for. She posted a video with a caption that read: “Looks like my knee is finally getting better. Finally!”
The post kept the door open for Williams’ tennis comeback and hopefully, the potential that she could be in the mix at the US Open. While she has yet to officially declare her entry into the upcoming draw sheets, showing off the rehab and specifically that her knee is back into form is a good sign.
The Hard-Court Roadmap to Flushing Meadows
Insiders and analysts are already projecting where Williams will make her hard-court appearance prior to late August. However, as The Big Lead highlighted, Williams is not on the WTA players’ lists for upcoming tournaments in Washington, D.C., Canada or Cincinnati.
For good measure, her coach Rennae Stubbs confirmed via Just Women's Sports that Williams is actively targeting a US Open return if her body remains healthy in the lead-up to the event. Accepting wild cards to any lead-up tournaments before the US Open could go a long way toward helping her test her knee on hard courts before stepping back onto Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Impact of Williams Potentially Returning for US Open
Among the questions lingering about a potential US Open return is whether Williams would compete in singles or team up with Venus in doubles (or do both). When Williams originally stepped away from tennis in 2022, her matches consistently brought record-breaking television ratings and unprecedented social media engagement.
At age 44, her ability to fill stadiums and generate national interest remains almost unbelievable. If tournament directors grant her a wild card, which seems likely to be a near certainty given her unmatched legacy, it would generate even more buzz at Flushing Meadows for the 2026 US Open.
As things currently stand, Aryna Sabalenka is the odds-on favorite to win the 2026 US Open, boasting odds of +225 on Fanatics. The closest names to her are Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina, each listed at +700.
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