Serena Williams announces comeback to professional tennis for HSBC Championship double’s event

Serena Williams is officially making her comeback to professional tennis.

Williams will play in the doubles event next week at the HSBC Championships, a 500-level event held at Queen’s Club in London.

Williams first teased her return on Monday morning with a social media video from longtime sponsor Nike. In the 17-second clip, Williams can be seen on the tennis court walking over to her buzzing phone. Text reading, “Guess everybody heard the news” is then shown.

Minutes later, the HSBC Championships announced Williams would be playing in its doubles event.

The winner of 23 major titles — the most by any woman in the Open Era — Williams had fueled speculation of a comeback after reentering the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) drug-testing pool in the fall, something required in order to be allowed to compete again.