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Serena Williams will compete in the women’s singles at Wimbledon for the first time since 2022, entering the tournament as a wild card entry. She is also in a double-double with her sister, Venus, for the first time since 2016.
The road back to professional tennis was long. Williams had to return to the drug addiction pool. When asked about the process on Sunday, the 44-year-old tennis legend called the process “useless” and “absurd.”
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Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day before the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship in London on June 28, 2026. (Kin Cheung/Associated Press)
“It’s frustrating. They changed the rules now. Some of the rules I didn’t know. So obviously if you miss a test outside your window, it still counts as a miss. I’m like, I don’t think I’m going to be able to pick up my kids,” he said. “It’s pointless. I hate it. I think it’s necessary, but I think a lot of things, if I want to go places outside my window, I should be able to go without it being counted as a missed exam.”
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) requires players to provide their daily “location” for inspection without notice. It’s a feature that’s been heavily scrutinized over the past few weeks.
Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, has been suspended for four years for refusing an anti-doping test.
Williams called the process “absurd.”
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Serena Williams of the United States smiles after a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ahead of the Wimbledon Championship in London on June 25, 2026. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
“That was the main reason why I didn’t want to come back because it’s just difficult. I mean my life is busy, I have a company, I have a VC company, I travel all over the world. I have children. It’s like I can be in many different cities many times,” she said.
ITIA responded to Williams’ comments.
“If the inspector cannot reach the player within the allotted hour, that may be a ‘claim,’ and three failures may result in a charge. If the inspector cannot reach the player outside the allotted hour, it is not considered a strike,” the agency said.
“There have been no changes to the rules on where you are in the last few years,” ITIA added. “We understand that the system can seem challenging, but it is there to protect the players, not to cripple them. If the players are not sure or have questions, we can accept a discussion directly with them or through their agents.”
Serena Williams of the United States plays a return match during a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship in London on June 24, 2026. (Kin Cheung/AP)
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However, Williams said he was always willing to comply with the rules.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
