Two months after Serena Williams stated in a 2022 Vogue essay that she was retiring to focus on her family, she clarified that “evolving away from tennis” did not mean permanent retirement.
“I am not retired,” the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion said, following her 41st birthday and U.S. Open matches that signaled the end of her career. “The chances [of a return] are very high. You can come to my house—I have a court.”
This month, Williams honored that promise by competing in WTA Tour events in London and Berlin, partnering with her sister Venus in doubles. At Wimbledon, she will play doubles with Venus and enter singles matches against unseeded Maya Joint.
If Williams secures a 24th major championship, she would extend her Open Era record and match Margaret Court’s all-time record, adding $4.8 million to her $94.8 million in career prize money.
While financial gain is not her primary driver, Williams has accumulated significant earnings. By the time she left tennis in 2017, she had earned nearly $450 million, surpassing Maria Sharapova’s $325 million. Since then, her off-court ventures have generated $50 million in 12 months, pushing her lifetime earnings to $620 million.
With a net worth of $400 million, Williams is the richest athlete primarily funded by sports, surpassing many heiresses and businesswomen.
During her hiatus, Williams had a second child in 2023 but remained active in business, maintaining ten long-term sponsors like Nike and Wilson, and expanding into ventures such as Ro’s weight loss campaigns and Serena Ventures.
Her business acumen includes investments in the Miami Dolphins, Angel City FC, and the TGL, alongside ventures in sports and entertainment. Her strategy focuses on early-stage startups, particularly those led by women and people of color.
Williams has also influenced younger athletes like Coco Gauff, who now leads in earnings and has launched her own management company. The possibility of Williams facing Gauff at Wimbledon highlights her lingering impact on the sport.
Despite withdrawing from drug testing in December, Williams returned to competition, winning a match at the HSBC Championships before losing in Berlin. She remains focused on her Wimbledon goal, emphasizing no pressure and a desire to “still be able to do that, possibly one last time.”
