{"id":424431,"date":"2025-12-04T16:16:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T16:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/424431\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T16:16:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T16:16:25","slug":"serena-filed-paperwork-to-return-to-tennis-but-denied-a-comeback-whats-going-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/424431\/","title":{"rendered":"Serena filed paperwork to return to tennis but denied a comeback. What’s going on?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yahoo Sports AM<\/a> is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here<\/a> to get it every weekday morning.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 Headlines<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa Most-watched game:<\/strong> The Cowboys’ win over the Chiefs on Thanksgiving drew a staggering 57.2 million viewers<\/a> on CBS, making it the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever. It shattered the previous record of 42.1 million viewers in 2022.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc8 National Signing Day:<\/strong> USC ended National Signing Day<\/a> with the top-ranked recruiting class (per Rivals<\/a>), snapping the SEC’s 17-year streak of inking the No. 1 class. Rounding out the top 10: Notre Dame, Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee, Miami, Texas A&M and LSU.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc0 Giannis trade talks:<\/strong> Giannis Antetokounmpo’s will-they, won’t-they future with the Bucks may finally be nearing a conclusion<\/a>. The two sides are reportedly discussing a potential exit with a resolution expected “in the coming weeks.”<\/p>\n

\u26bd\ufe0f Rodman deal vetoed:<\/strong> The Washington Spirit’s multi-million dollar offer to retain Trinity Rodman has reportedly been vetoed by NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman<\/a>. The star forward was ready to accept the deal but Berman felt the structure of the contract violated the spirit of the league.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc8 Coaching carousel:<\/strong> South Florida is hiring Ohio State OC Brian Hartline<\/a> as their new head coach; Kansas State will hire Texas A&M OC Collin Klein to replace Chris Klieman<\/a>, who is retiring.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Is Serena making a comeback?\"Williams<\/p>\n

Williams during the 2022 U.S. Open. (Jamie Squire\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Serena Williams has filed the necessary paperwork to return to tennis, but the 23-time Grand Slam winner says she isn’t making a comeback<\/a>. What’s going on?<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Catch up quick:<\/strong> News broke Tuesday that Williams had informed the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that she is pursuing reentry into the anti-doping pool.<\/p>\n

“She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool. I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is she’s back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 ITIA spokesperson, via The Athletic<\/a><\/p>\n

The backdrop:<\/strong> Williams, 44, last played a competitive match during the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. The day after her defeat, she applied for official retirement with the ITIA, which meant she was exempt from random drug testing. To be eligible to return, she would need to be listed in the testing pool for six months, setting her up for a potential comeback in 2026.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Yes, but:<\/strong> Williams took to social media on Tuesday to deny the rumors<\/a>. “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”<\/p>\n

So, what’s going on here?<\/strong> Here’s my take: Williams is planning to return to tennis in some capacity, whether that’s singles or doubles (possibly alongside her sister, who made her own comeback last year). But reporters finding her name on a testing list is such a lame, unexciting way for that news to break that she’s denying it for now.<\/p>\n