**Serena Williams Sparks Comeback Speculation with Intensive Training Sessions**
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Serena Williams, the legendary 23-time Grand Slam champion, is once again in the spotlight as buzz about a potential tennis comeback intensifies. Following her last professional appearance at the 2022 US Open, the 44-year-old star has been spotted training regularly with fellow professional player Alycia Parks, igniting discussions among fans regarding her future in the sport.
Parks, who is currently competing on the ATP Tour, shared her recent experiences training with Williams during an interview with the Tennis Channel. She revealed that the two have been hitting together multiple times a week, leading many to speculate about Williams’ intentions. Parks described her workouts with Williams as both beneficial and enjoyable, indicating that the former champion remains fit and is striking the ball with remarkable skill.
In the interview, Parks recounted a recent conversation with Williams while she was travelling in the Middle East. “I did text her and asked if she could practice when I got back to the States, and she was totally on board,” Parks explained. This connection suggests not only camaraderie but also a potential collaborative effort. Parks, who has achieved success on the WTA Tour, emphasised that their training sessions occur several times a week whenever both are in the same location.
In addition to their professional relationship, Parks spoke highly of Williams’ current form. “She’s hitting good,” Parks remarked, acknowledging Williams’s fitness level. She also noted that the mother of two appears to be “fit” and “hitting the ball amazing,” painting a picture of a player who still possesses competitive prowess despite her hiatus from professional tournaments.
While fans are eagerly pondering the possibility of Williams’ return, Parks has chosen to remain non-committal about confirming any such plans. “I don’t know if she’s coming back; I don’t know when she’s coming back,” she stated during the interview. Parks clarified that their discussions primarily revolve around their practice sessions, rather than plans for a competitive return.
Williams has been careful with her language regarding retirement, insisting that she prefers to think of her current status as an “evolution” rather than a traditional retirement. During her final match at the US Open in 2022, she made headlines for refusing to categorise herself as retired. Instead, she expressed optimism about the possibility of returning to the court in the future. “The chances of me returning are very high,” she stated in an interview at the time, hinting at her readiness to play again.
The 44-year-old has been outspoken about her feelings towards the term ‘retirement’. In an August 2022 essay for Vogue, she articulated her discomfort with the word, associating it with a finality that does not align with her views. “I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific,” she wrote. Instead, Williams sees her departure from professional play as a transition, stating that the concept of evolution better describes her trajectory.
However, in recent months, Williams has had to quell growing speculation after reports surfaced that she had sought to rejoin the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) testing pool, a requirement for active players. In December 2025, following a surge of excitement among fans regarding a potential return, Williams emphatically denied any intentions of making a comeback. Using a post on X (formerly Twitter), she quipped, “Omg y’all I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”
The public fascination with Williams’ potential return to professional tennis continues to grow as she maintains an active presence in the sport through her training sessions and mentorship of younger players like Parks. The future remains uncertain, but Williams has certainly not ruled out the possibility of evolving her role within tennis, much to the delight of her countless fans worldwide.
As the tennis community keeps a close eye on Williams and her activities in the coming months, one thing is clear: her impact on the sport is far from over, regardless of whether she returns to competition. With her exceptional career and passion for the game, Serena Williams will always be a figure of interest in the world of tennis.