London [UK], June 1 (ANI): Tennis legend Serena Williams is set to make a return to professional tennis at the age of 44 at next week's HSBC Championships at Queen's Club, marking her first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open.

Williams has not played on the professional circuit since her defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open in 2022. At the time, she described her decision as 'evolving away' from tennis rather than formally retiring, as per Sky Sports.

The 23-time Grand Slam women's champion has been handed a wild-card entry in the women's doubles draw at Queen's and is expected to team up with Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko.

Her return has fuelled speculation over a possible appearance at Wimbledon Championships later this month, where she could also receive a wild-card. It remains unclear whether Williams plans to compete only in doubles or attempt a singles comeback.

'Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,' said Williams, according to Sky Sports

'Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages,' the 23-time Gram Slam winner added.

Tournament director Laura Robson added, 'Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we're delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA's HSBC Championships.'

Wimbledon begins on June 29, where Williams could be handed a wild-card, although it is unclear if she wants to only play doubles or target a singles comeback.

Her return has almost felt inevitable after she registered with the sport's drug-testing body, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), in December.

Williams last won a Grand Slam singles title at the 2017 Australian Open while she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Since then, she reached four more Grand Slam finals but fell short of equalling Margaret Court's record of 24 major singles titles.

She reached four more finals on her return from maternity leave, two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open, but was beaten in straight sets on each occasion.

Williams, who won her first major title in 1999 at the US Open as a 17-year-old, spoke with Vogue in 2022 when she revealed plans to walk away from tennis. 'I'd be lying if I said I didn't want [Court's] record.

'The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus Grand Slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I didn't show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that's fine. Actually, it's extraordinary.' (ANI)