Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis at the age of 44, nearly four years after stepping away from the sport, with the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion accepting a wild card entry to compete in doubles at the upcoming Queen’s Club grass-court tournament.

The WTA Tour announced on Monday that Williams will feature in the event, which begins next week, alongside a partner yet to be named. The American star has not played competitively since her farewell appearance at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she said she was “evolving” away from tennis rather than retiring.

Her comeback has generated excitement across the tennis world. Former world No. 1 Martina Navratilova said, “Serena brought the game to another level, and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back.”

Navratilova added, “To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television, so this will be a new and exciting experience.”

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka also welcomed the news. “It will bring people to watch tennis,” Osaka said. “I’m going to be tuned into the first match, for sure. I think a lot of people are.”

Williams’ return on grass has fueled speculation about a possible appearance at Wimbledon later this month, where she has won seven singles titles.

Defending French Open champion Coco Gauff said, “One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her. It would be cool for this sport to have a legend back playing.”

Madison Keys echoed that sentiment, saying, “Serena Williams playing tennis is only good for tennis. Let’s be real. We all want to watch Serena play tennis.