Serena Williams Aiming To ‘Get Herself Fully Ready’ For Singles In 2027

Serena Williams is using the women's doubles event at the U.S. Open with her sister Venus in part to prepare herself to return to the singles court in 2027.

"Obviously, Serena and Venus want to win today but for Serena this is also kind of getting ready for the next season, get some points and get movement, play a real match before she really asserts herself back into the singles court," ESPN's Caroline Wozniacki, a close friend of Serena's and a former world No. 1, said on air during the Williams' sisters' doubles match Friday night against Maya Joint and H.C. Chan in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Asked by Patrick McEnroe if she expects Serena to play singles in 2026 after the U.S. Open, Wozniacki said: "I don't. I think her knee is still not 100%. If it was 100%, I think she would've played singles here so I think she's just gonna go back, get 100% healthy and get herself fully ready for next year."

That timetable would mean a potential return at the Australian Open in January. Williams, 44, has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at the Australian Open and six at the U.S. Open.

Appearing Monday on " Good Morning America ," Williams told ESPN's Malika Andrews that she "probably" plans to compete in singles again.

"I probably will play again," she said . "I have to...After some of those returns, I think I need to play at least once."

Williams, who has two young daughters, Olympia and Adira, returned after a four-year layoff to play singles at Wimbledon, losing to Joint in three sets in the first round. She then pulled out of the doubles at Wimbledon with Venus due to a knee injury sustained in singles.

"I injured myself at Wimbledon. And I just didn't have time to recover, unfortunately," Williams said. "And I just didn't want to take any opportunities away from someone if in terms of getting a wild card if I wasn't able to compete at a way that I knew I could."

When Andrews told Williams that many fans hoped to see her compete in a Grand Slam again, Williams replied, "Yeah. I think I will."

"But this isn't something permanent, obviously," she continued. "It's just also really wanting my children to see me play at a different age."

Forbes estimates her net worth at $400 million , making her—by a comfortable margin—the world's richest woman who has made her fortune primarily as an athlete.

The Williams sisters received a wild card to play at the Open and drew tremendous interest, including from Carlos Alcaraz, the defending men's singles champion and Serena's mixed doubles partner at the Open.

"Absolutely," Alcaraz said after his straight-sets win over over Wu Yibing of China. "I mean, I'm gonna get ready. I'm gonna be at the room. I'll be getting treatment with the physio. So I think there is no better plan [than] to watch the doubles, the Williamses, once again, while getting a treatment. I'm going to be ready for that."