Serena Williams eligible to return to competition on 22 February

With a total of 319 weeks at the top, Serena Williams holds a notable record as the world's number one tennis player.

As of Sunday, 22 February, Serena Williams is cleared to resume her tennis career, although the timing and certainty of her return remain uncertain.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) updated its reinstatements list on Monday, confirming to BBC Sport that Williams is now eligible to participate in tournaments starting from the specified date.

Since her retirement from professional tennis at the 2022 US Open, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has not made any official announcements regarding a potential comeback.

BBC Sport has reached out to Williams' representative and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for a statement regarding her plans.

To be eligible for reinstatement and participation in sanctioned events, retired players must first undergo out-of-competition drug testing for a minimum period of six months, making themselves available for testing during this time.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) informed BBC Sport in December that Williams had been added to the roster of players subject to the drug testing program.

Players enrolled in the testing pool are required to provide their daily whereabouts to testing officials, specifying their location for a one-hour window each day.

In a social media post made shortly after, 44-year-old Williams stated, "I'm NOT coming back," in reference to her potential return to competition, describing the situation as "crazy."

However, by the end of January, Williams appeared to leave the door open for a possible comeback, telling the Today Show, "I don't know, I'm just going to see what happens," when asked about her plans.

During the interview, Savannah Guthrie pressed Williams for a clearer answer, interpreting her response as ambiguous, to which Williams replied firmly, "It's not a maybe."

When questioned about her status in the drug testing pool, Williams responded vaguely, stating, "I'm not sure if I was ever out of it," and declined to elaborate further.

Williams seemed to grow frustrated with the line of questioning, saying, "If I want to put the rumors to rest, I'd rather just go to sleep," indicating her desire to move on from the topic.

In August, Williams had openly discussed her use of weight-loss medications, and more recently, she appeared in an advertisement for the drug that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Having never been fond of the term "retirement," Williams instead described her decision to end her career in New York as "evolving away" from the sport, a choice of words that reflected her 23 Grand Slam singles titles and enduring legacy.

The number of Grand Slam singles titles won by Williams is surpassed only by two individuals: Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic.

Williams holds the record for the most major singles titles won by a woman in the Open era, with a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, comprising seven Australian Open titles, three French Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, and six US Open titles.

Williams has also experienced significant success in doubles, winning 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals alongside her sister Venus, who remains an active competitor on the WTA Tour.

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