Williams adds Berlin to her comeback schedule - with Wimbledon in mind?

Former world No 1 Serena Williams has added the Berlin Tennis Open to her comeback schedule which starts at the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club.

The 44-year-old will make her return to professional tennis next week in London, where she will play doubles with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club.

It has now been announced that Williams will also play doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open beginning on June 15, with a partner yet to be confirmed.

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"Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception," said the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion on the official Berlin Open website.

"I'm excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season."

Williams was pictured playing on the grass at Queen's Club on Thursday alongside 19-year-old Mboko.

The American has not played a match since a glittering farewell at the US Open in 2022, with Williams saying at the time she was "evolving away" from tennis.

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Speculation has been growing about Williams' comeback since she re-entered the anti-doping programme - a prerequisite for playing on tour - last year.

Singles return at Wimbledon?

And former world No 1 Lindsay Davenport revealed Williams' return might have come earlier had she not had to complete six months in the programme first.

"I'd heard last year at the US Open she wanted to play mixed (doubles)," said Davenport. "She wasn't able to because of the drug-testing protocol."

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Williams appears to have timed her comeback with Wimbledon in mind, and the first batch of wild cards for singles and doubles will be announced during the Berlin tournament.

Whether the veteran is eyeing singles at the All England Club remains a source of great intrigue, but Davenport would be surprised if that is not her ultimate goal.

She said of Williams' return: "I think it's great. So many stories sometimes in our sport go negative. And I love that there's an excitement about a player returning.

"It's going to be great to see her back out there. Watching her walk off the court in New York, I really thought it was goodbye. Some players, you think, 'oh, they might come back', but I never thought that that would be the case.

"You have to think that she's going to ease her way back into singles. Then all of a sudden it's game on again for the Grand Slam race. So I'm here for it."

Can Serena lift another major title at the age of 44?

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Williams remains one behind all-time women's record holder Margaret Court for Grand Slam singles titles and has not lifted a major trophy since before the birth of her first daughter in 2017.

"It's not going to be easy," added Davenport. "If anyone could do it, certainly it could be her. She looks in incredible shape, and better shape than arguably when she left the sport.

"Her mindset has always been to not settle for mediocrity. So I think we have to assume that she's coming back because she feels she's in a position where she can actually make an impact immediately in women's tennis."

Meanwhile, British players Katie Boulter, Fran Jones, Harriet Dart and Mika Stojsavljevic have all been given wild cards into singles at Queen's, joining Emma Raducanu.

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