Williams, who won the last of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles in 2017 and has not ​competed since the 2022 US Open, received a wildcard entry into the doubles draw, the London-based club said ​in a statement.

She posted a video on social media in which she was shown walking ⁠off a tennis court to her buzzing phone.

“Guess everybody heard the news,” she said, while the post had the caption: “Good ​news travels fast.”

A long-awaited return

Speculation around Williams’ return had intensified after she was cleared to officially enter tournaments after rejoining the tennis ​anti-doping testing pool last year.

“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” former world number one Williams, now a mother of two daughters, said in the statement.

“Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I’m excited ​to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”

Multiple reports in the British media said that Williams will ​team up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, after requesting a wildcard for the June 8 to 14 tournament.

The attention will now shift to ‌whether Wimbledon, ⁠where Williams won seven singles titles, will also offer her a path to compete at the All England Club when the grasscourt Grand Slam gets underway on June 29.

All-time great

Williams has been on a mission to get fit in the last few months, often posting about her journey on social media, after last playing on the ​WTA Tour in September 2022.

She had retired ​from professional tennis after a ⁠third-round loss at the US Open, having said before the event that she was “evolving away from tennis” to prioritise other aspects of life, only to announce a return nearly four years ​later.

The door is now open for a potential revival of her successful doubles partnership with ​her sister Venus, ⁠who is 15 months older and still playing on the circuit.

The pair have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together.

Valerie Camillo, chair of the women’s tennis body WTA, said the tour was thrilled to welcome the younger Williams back.

“Serena is one of the ⁠greatest athletes ​of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court… ​I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players,” Camillo said.

“We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour ​at this hugely exciting moment for women’s tennis.”