The stage has been set for a possible comeback to professional tennis by Serena Williams.
In an October document released by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, Williams’ name is on a list of players who are currently in the ITIA’s registered testing pool. Retired players, of which Williams has been one since the summer of 2022, obviously do not have to be tested for performance-enhancing drugs and other substances that are banned by the International Tennis Federation.
That development suggests that the 44-year-old is planning, or at least considering, a return to the WTA Tour. Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg is also reporting that Williams has filed the necessary paperwork to officially be reinstated on tour. Players must be in the testing pool for six months before they are eligible to compete. Williams has been in the pool at least since October (if not earlier), which means she would be able to take court in April of 2026 at the absolute latest.
Tennis bettors, who might also be interested in online slots, would obviously have to take Williams into account if she does, in fact, come back next season.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion last played at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she ousted second-ranked Anett Kontaveit before losing in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic. Aside from her upset win over Kontaveit, Williams’ last success on the circuit came in 2021, when she reached the Australian Open semifinals (lost to Naomi Osaka) and the French Open fourth round (lost to Elena Rybakina).
What would be a record-breaking 25th slam title for Williams has eluded her since 2017, when he triumphed at the Australian Open by defeating her sister, Venus Williams, in the final. The younger Williams has since finished runner-up at majors four times, most recently at the 2019 U.S. Open (lost to Bianca Andreescu).
If the former world No. 1 does return, her first opportunity to compete at a Grand Slam would be in late May at the French Open. The Australian Open begins in mid-January, so it is unlikely, unless she was part of the ITIA pool much earlier than what is being reported, that she will be reinstated when the festivities in Melbourne get underway.
With Williams not a factor (at least not yet!), here are the current odds to win the Aussie Open on the women’s side:
Aryna Sabalenka (+200)
What’s not to like about Sabalenka’s chances Down Under? The world No. 1 has made it to the Australian Open final each of the past three seasons, winning it in both 2023 and 2024 before finishing runner-up to Madison Keys this past year. Sabalenka advanced to three Grand Slam finals in 2025, most recently triumphing at the U.S. Open. The Belarusian did not lose prior to the semis at any of the four slams. She ended the year by winning 14 of her last 16 matches.
Iga Swiatek (+400)
Although Swiatek is at her best on clay, she can never be discounted on any surface. After all, she is a former champion of both Wimbledon (grass) and the U.S. Open (hard court). The second-ranked Pole has never reached the Aussie Open championship match, but she is a two-time semifinalist (2022 and 2025). Swiatek struggled down the stretch this past season aside from a title in Seoul, Korea, but a couple of months off should have her back in business in time for Australia.
Elena Rybakina (+750)
Rybakina concluded the 2025 campaign like gangbusters. A season-ending 11-match winning streak propelled her to titles in Ningbo, China and at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rybakina defeated each of the top two players in the world, Sabalenka and Swiatek, in Riyadh. The 2022 Wimbledon champion is a former finalist at Melbourne Park (lost to Sabalenka in 2023), which should give her even more confidence heading into next year’s tournament.
Coco Gauff (+800)
Gauff’s serving woes are holding her back. The 21-year-old still managed to win a Grand Slam title this season (Roland Garros), but a shocking case of double-faults otherwise plagued her throughout 2025. Once a point starts, Gauff might be the best player in the world. That’s why she is still ranked an impressive third in the world even though she is double-faulting so often. If Gauff can somehow shore up that part of her game, she will once again be a factor in Melbourne. The American advanced to the fourth round, the semifinals, and the quarters in her last three trips Down Under.
Mirra Andreeva (+900)
The issues for Gauff and Andreeva seem to be polar opposites. Gauff is mentally tough for the most part, but physically – at least in the case of her serve, things can go wrong. Andreeva has also the physical tools to success, but her mental game has been in shambles. That can probably be explained in part by her age. The 18-year-old lost a bunch of big matches that he should not have in 2025, while often having meltdowns on the court. Still, she is No. 9 in the rankings and even as a teenager is already a one-time major semifinalist and a two-time major quarterfinalist. Andreeva has twice reached round four of the Australian Open.