Three years ago, as the City of New York prepared for the final Slam of the year, Serena Williams announced that her story on the tennis court had entered its final chapter. Yet, she was wary of that one word, knowing fully well what it could signify. “I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. … Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.” Perhaps an epilogue is still on the cards? Novak Djokovic certainly hopes so, as he latches onto technicalities.

After defeating Learner Tien in Round 1 of the 2025 US Open, the Serbian superstar confessed how he would like nothing more than to see Serena back at her natural habitat. In a YouTube upload by the official tournament channel, Djokovic could be heard saying, “You know, we miss her, and she still hasn’t officially retired,” as the reporters in the room chuckled, hearing his words. Knowing very well how Williams has never shied away from a challenge, Djokovic took things a step further as he tried to find the right words that could entice the former to come out of her retirement.

“I invite her, I challenge her because she’s such a great competitor. So when somebody challenges her, she never refuses. So I challenge Serena, come back on a tour next year,” Novak said, with a sly smile on his face. There were speculations of Serena Williams‘ comeback last month when she posted a video of herself hitting tennis balls on court with nearly the same hunger that she came to be known for. The video, too, was aptly captioned, “Still Serena.” But can her comeback be a reality?

Just days ago, while addressing the fans’ demands to see her play again, she said, “I don’t know if I get tired of it. I don’t really hear the noise or listen to it. I kind of mute out everything. I’ve gotten really good at muting out the noise. But you know what, it’s a sport that I’ve always loved,” And still, the 43-year-old also acknowledged that she does, in fact, miss the sport.

What else can you expect from someone who won the Australian Open while two months pregnant? Right now, it’s her motherhood and her business ventures that are keeping her busy. But hey, it’s not like Williams has taken her leave from the tennis community altogether!

Serena Williams keeps showing up when it matters

On Saturday, the Palm Beach, Florida, resident showed up unexpectedly at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport. What followed was something that took everyone by surprise. “I’m probably the last person you expected to see standing here tonight,” grinned Wiliams as she inducted Maria Sharapova, one of her fiercest on-court rivals, to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Djokovic, too, never saw it coming. “It was surprising, but a very nice gesture from Serena to be there for Maria,” he said after his first-round win. With that, it was a full-circle moment between the two: The rivalry that began in 2004, when the younger Sharapova defeated the more experienced Serena at Wimbledon, finally came to a sweet end.

Obviously, the 5-time Grand Slam winner from Russia couldn’t be happier to have Williams do the honors. “Thank you for having my back tonight, @serenawilliams. It meant the world to me,” Sharapova later wrote on Instagram. Serena replied with a cheeky message of her own: “Maria’s career, as her dad put it yesterday, started with me and last night ended with me inducting her into the Tennis Hall of Fame.”

But all these only make it clear that Williams loves being a part of the tennis community. And while she will not be seen on court in New York this year, her sister and 7x Grand Slam champion Venus will be there, defying age and pushing boundaries. To make sure you do not miss a moment of her time in New York, head to EssentiallySports’ live blog of the Slam.