What you need to know
It’s safe to say that Serena Williams isn’t ready to talk about a possible return to professional tennis.
The 44-year-old athlete had an awkward moment during a live interview on the Today show with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday, January 28, when he asked her about rumors that Guthrie might return to the court.
“Recently, you re-entered the drug testing pool, which some see as a precursor to your return to tennis,” Guthrie told Williams. “So, I know I have to ask, but are you going back to professional tennis?”
Mr. Williams laughed at the question and asked Mr. Guthrie, “I mean, really? You ask this on the Today show? Oh my god.”
As Williams continued to dodge the question, Guthrie pressed, “Is that a no?”
“Is that a no?” Williams asked as a man’s laughter could be heard off-camera. “All the people laughing on set are a distraction. They’re distracting us over there.”
NBC
“Okay, but you didn’t say yes or no!” Guthrie thought.
Williams continued to laugh at the exchange, eventually saying, “I’m just having fun and enjoying life right now,” and when Guthrie pointed out that her response was “not a yes or no,” Williams responded, “We’ll see what happens.”
Guthrie went on to say, “That’s a ‘maybe’ to me!” But Williams quickly objected, saying, “Maybe.”
Williams, who has daughters Olympia, 8, and Adira, 2, with husband Alexis Ohanian, considers herself a “full-time stay-at-home mom” and has even listed her occupation as “homemaker” on recent filings.
Serena Williams/Instagram
“Okay, but you’re back in,” Guthrie pointed out.
“Did he re-enter? I don’t know if he was out or not,” Williams countered. “Listen, we can’t discuss this.”
Guthrie continued to say, “Okay, if you want to sleep, now’s a good time. To put the retirement rumors to bed.” Williams joked, “I want to sleep. It’s still early.”
The awkward exchange ended with Williams calling Guthrie “funny” and Guthrie asking the tennis pro if he was “mad” at him. After being asked multiple questions, Williams answered, “No!” before the interview ends.
Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty
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Williams last played at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she said she was “stepping away” from tennis but did not explicitly say she would retire. Then, in December 2025, Williams re-entered the drug testing pool (which all players must participate in to qualify), sparking speculation that the 23-time Grand Slam champion would return to the court. However, Williams quickly responded to X denying the chatter.
“Oh no, I’m not going back. These wildfires are crazy –” Williams wrote in the post.
Her older sister Venus Williams, 45, will return to tennis in 2024 after a long break, and has expressed her desire for Serena to follow in her footsteps.
In July 2025, Venus said, “Of course I miss her because we always did everything together. But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let everyone know.”
“I don’t know what she’s going to do. I don’t ask those questions,” Venus said of her sister, who has won 14 doubles titles. “I think we’re always hitting the ball, because that’s who we are. We’re always hitting.”
