Serena Williams is rumoured to be planning a tennis comeback this year.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion retired from tennis in 2022, but re-entered the anti-doping test pool last December.
She is now eligible to compete, although talk of a return has quietened down over recent months.
Does Serena Williams win a WTA title or Grand Slam title if she comes back to tennis?
Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys has now delivered her verdict on Williams’ potential comeback.
Madison Keys says Serena Williams making a comeback is ‘only good for tennis’
During a press conference at the French Open, Keys was asked about Williams.
“I think that Serena Williams playing tennis is only good for tennis,” she said.
“Let’s be real, we all want to watch Serena play tennis.
“I am excited to see, I’m going to check some entry lists occasionally, see what pops up!
“But I mean, I think she’s the G.O.A.T.
“So I think it would be amazing if she comes back.
“You literally get to watch history every single time she takes the court, so why not want more?”
Is Serena Williams the greatest women’s tennis player of all time?
Keys is looking forward to the G.O.A.T. potentially returning to tennis, but is she really the greatest women’s tennis player of all time?
It’s tough to say, but the strongest argument for Williams is that she has won more Grand Slam singles titles (Open Era) than any other woman.
However, Williams won fewer WTA titles than Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert.
Navratilova and Graf also held the number-one ranking for longer than Williams.
Comparing the greatest women’s tennis players of all time
| Player | Grand Slams | WTA Titles | WTA Finals titles | Weeks at number one |
| Serena Williams | 23 | 73 | 5 | 319 |
| Steffi Graf | 22 | 107 | 5 | 377 |
| Martina Navratilova | 18 | 167 | 8 | 332 |
| Chris Evert | 18 | 157 | 4 | 260 |
And Navratilova won three more WTA Finals titles than the legendary American.
If you base the G.O.A.T. debate solely on Grand Slam wins, which many do, then sure, Williams is the obvious pick.
But if you look beneath the surface, it’s not quite so clear cut…
Should Madison Keys be concerned about Serena Williams’ potential return?
Keys played Williams three times and lost all three matches.
The younger of the two Americans fell to defeat at the 2015 Australian Open, the 2015 US Open, and the 2016 Italian Open.
Serena Williams and Madison Keys’ head-to-head record
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2016 Italian Open – F | Serena Williams | Madison Keys | 7-6, 6-3 |
| 2015 US Open – 4R | Serena Williams | Madison Keys | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2015 Australian Open – SF | Serena Williams | Madison Keys | 7-6, 6-2 |
Now, she might fare better against a returning Williams, who will be 45 this September, but Keys won’t underestimate the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
It remains to be seen if Williams will return, and in the meantime, Keys will try to remain focused on the task at hand.
Keys defeated Belgian youngster Hanne Vandewinkel in the first round of the French Open to book a spot in round two, where she will meet Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Thursday, May 28.
