Novak Djokovic comments on Serena Williams' potential comeback: Everyone eagerly awaits her return!

In sports, comeback tales rarely generate as much thrill as Michael Jordan's return to the NBA with his number 45 jersey. Currently, that kind of anticipation is building around tennis icon Serena Williams—speculation about her potential return is intensifying. Even Novak Djokovic finds it hard to contain his enthusiasm for such a prospect.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Djokovic responded to questions about Serena's possible return to professional tennis: "I think she will come back. I don't know, I haven't talked to her, but the general feeling seems to be that she will return. Where, how, whether in singles or doubles—we don't know. If I were her, I'd keep it tightly under wraps too."

Djokovic also revealed that many players on the tour are discussing this possibility, "Everyone is excited; it's definitely something highly anticipated." He even speculated that Wimbledon could be a suitable stage for her comeback, suggesting Serena might play a few doubles events with Venus Williams, "From my perspective and from tennis fans' viewpoint, that would be fantastic. She truly is one of the greatest athletes; if she returns, it would be wonderful."

The latest round of speculation about her comeback actually began months ago. In autumn 2025, Serena quietly re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) registered testing pool, a mandatory step for any player wishing to return to professional competition. The process includes random drug tests and daily whereabouts reporting, along with a six-month compliance period before competing again—Serena officially met this requirement on February 22, 2026.

Previously, she strongly denied comeback rumors on social media, writing directly: "Oh my goodness, everyone, I am not coming back." However, when American player Parks shared a video of training with her on social media, the topic quickly reignited. Parks mentioned in an interview that she trained with Serena just last Monday, calling her one of her mentors who provided much training guidance, and praised Serena's current physical condition: "Her physical condition is excellent, so I believe if she returns to the tour, she would perform very well."

Meanwhile, Djokovic's excitement has further fueled public discussion, as he previously even publicly "challenged" this American legend to return. Serena Williams gradually stepped away from tennis after the 2022 US Open, preferring to call it an "evolution" rather than a formal retirement, and has not competed in professional tour events since.

In contrast, her sister Venus still occasionally appears on court, returning to the US Open last year—her first Grand Slam appearance in two years.

During that tournament, Djokovic commented on Serena's absence after winning his first-round match, having just seen Serena congratulate Sharapova at her Hall of Fame induction ceremony: "Certainly, seeing Serena in any form in the tennis world is great; we all miss her."

Djokovic then added teasingly that she hasn't officially retired and laughingly issued a challenge: "So I invite her, I challenge her. She's a great competitor; she never refuses when challenged. So I challenge Serena: come back to the tour next year."

Earlier this year, Venus also responded to growing speculation about Serena's comeback after participating in the 2026 ATX Open. Asked if she would play doubles with her sister, she first laughed and said "Wouldn't that be cool?", then joked that she never sees her sister training. When reporters mentioned training videos circulating online, she continued teasing that she doesn't know where her sister trains, but later offered a more realistic view: "If you want to return, you really have to step onto the court." As rumors keep heating up, fans speculate whether Serena might indeed return soon, even suggesting she could appear at this year's Wimbledon.Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark