Serena Williams practicing on a tennis court during her return to professional tennis.

Serena Williams Shares New Footage From Her Return to the Tennis Court

Serena Williams is back on the court as she continues her tennis comeback, sharing new practice footage ahead of her upcoming doubles appearance with Venus.

Serena Williams Is Back on the Court

August 13, 2026 – Serena Williams is giving fans another glimpse of her tennis comeback, sharing footage of herself back on the court as she continues preparing for her next competitive appearance.

On Aug. 12, the 44-year-old tennis legend posted a video to her Instagram Stories showing herself practicing. Wearing bright blue leggings and a white long-sleeve athletic top, Williams appeared focused as she returned balls during the training session.

The latest footage comes at an important point in Williams’ return to professional tennis. After stepping away from competition following the 2022 U.S. Open, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion announced in June that she planned to unretire.

Her return has already taken her back onto some of tennis’ biggest stages, and the new training footage suggests she remains committed to continuing the comeback.

Credit: Serena Williams/Instagram

Her Comeback Has Already Included a Grand Slam Return

Williams’ return became particularly significant when she competed at Wimbledon in June, marking her first appearance at a Grand Slam tournament in nearly four years.

She faced Australian player Maya Joint in the singles competition on June 30. Williams ultimately lost the three-set match 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, but the appearance itself represented a major milestone in her unexpected return to the sport.

The comeback has therefore already moved beyond speculation. Williams has returned to competitive tennis and is now working toward another opportunity on the court.

Her latest practice session shows that the Wimbledon appearance was not intended to be a one-off moment.

A Knee Injury Interrupted Her Wimbledon Plans

Williams’ Wimbledon comeback was followed by a setback when she sustained a knee injury.

The injury forced her to withdraw from a planned doubles appearance alongside her sister, Venus Williams. Serena later explained on Instagram that she was disappointed to miss the opportunity to compete with her sister but acknowledged that her knee was not ready.

The withdrawal came after the sisters had been preparing to reunite competitively on the doubles court. Their partnership has been one of the most recognizable in tennis history, making the cancellation particularly disappointing for fans.

Despite that setback, Serena’s return to practice indicates that she has continued working toward getting back into competitive condition.

Serena and Venus Have Another Opportunity

The sisters’ doubles plans have now received another boost. Serena and Venus were awarded a wild card entry for the Cincinnati Open, giving them an opportunity to compete together again.

The tournament began Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 23, while the sisters’ most recent doubles appearance together came at the 2022 U.S. Open.

Their potential reunion adds another emotional element to Serena’s comeback. Venus has continued competing intermittently, while Serena’s return has brought the legendary Williams partnership back into the spotlight.

For tennis fans, seeing the sisters share a court again is one of the most anticipated aspects of Serena’s latest chapter.

Serena Williams on the tennis court with Adira Ohanian

Credit: Serena Williams/Instagram

Her Training Has Included Family Moments

Serena’s comeback has also been closely connected to her family. In recent weeks, she has shared glimpses of her daughters joining her around the tennis court as she continues training.

On Aug. 2, she posted a photo showing her younger daughter, Adira, sitting on her while Serena stretched on the court. She also shares daughter Olympia with husband Alexis Ohanian.

The family moments offer a more personal view of Serena’s return. Her comeback is not simply about competing again; it is also happening during a different stage of her life than the one in which she built her historic tennis career.

That contrast has made her return particularly meaningful for longtime fans.

Her Family Has Supported the Comeback

Ohanian has also publicly celebrated Serena’s return. Following her Wimbledon match, he praised his wife and described her as an inspiration, while noting that their family was proud of her regardless of the result.

That support has accompanied Serena through both the excitement of returning to Grand Slam competition and the disappointment of losing her opening-round singles match.

The latest training footage suggests that the Wimbledon result has not ended her comeback ambitions.

Serena Williams Is Focused on Getting Back to Competition

The new training footage suggests Williams is continuing to build toward her next competitive opportunity after the knee issue disrupted her initial plans. Rather than allowing the setback to end her return, she has been putting in work on the court and sharing occasional glimpses of the process with fans.

For a player who spent years competing at the highest level, returning after a lengthy break requires more than simply regaining tennis skills. Fitness, movement, timing, and physical conditioning all have to come together before competing regularly becomes realistic.

Williams’ latest clips offer a small window into that preparation without revealing exactly how far along she is. Her return remains a developing story, with the Cincinnati tournament potentially providing another important chapter.

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The Williams Sisters Could Reunite on Court Again

The possibility of Serena and Venus Williams competing together again is one of the most exciting elements of Serena’s comeback.

The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles together and have also captured three Olympic gold medals as a team. Their partnership has been one of the most successful doubles combinations in tennis history.

Their last Grand Slam doubles appearance together came at the 2022 U.S. Open, making another tournament appearance especially significant for fans who have followed their careers for decades.

If their Cincinnati plans move forward, the sisters would once again have the opportunity to share a competitive court.

Serena’s Return Is Happening on Her Own Terms

Williams’ decision to return to tennis came nearly four years after she played her final match at the 2022 U.S. Open.

At the time, she had indicated that she was moving toward stepping away from professional tennis and focusing on life beyond competition. Her subsequent return therefore came as a surprise, particularly because it arrived after such a long period away from the sport.

The comeback also comes after Williams became a mother and continued building businesses and other projects outside tennis.

That makes the latest chapter different from the years when tennis was the central focus of her professional life.

The Road Back Has Already Had Highs and Lows

Williams’ return has not been completely straightforward. Her Wimbledon singles appearance delivered the excitement of seeing one of tennis’ greatest champions back at a Grand Slam, but the first-round defeat showed just how challenging a comeback at the highest level can be.

The subsequent knee injury added another obstacle.

Still, Williams has continued to train. Her decision to share footage from the court gives fans an indication that she remains engaged with the process and is continuing to work toward competition.

For an athlete returning after years away, setbacks are part of the challenge. The focus now appears to be on rebuilding and preparing rather than rushing the process.

Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety

Final Thoughts

Serena Williams’ latest training footage offers another glimpse into a comeback that has already surprised the tennis world. After returning to Grand Slam competition at Wimbledon and dealing with a knee injury, she is now back on the court preparing for what could be another major moment alongside Venus.

Whether or not the sisters ultimately compete together in Cincinnati, Serena’s return has already become one of the most remarkable stories in modern tennis. At 44, she is once again showing why her relationship with the sport has always extended beyond trophies and rankings.