'If She Wants To Come Back...': Aryna Sabalenka Reacts To Serena Williams' Possible Return To Tennis Following Australian Open Semi-Final Win

World no.1 Aryna Sabalenka faced Elina Svitolina in the semi-final of the Australian Open on January 29, 2026. Sabalenka cruised past Svitolina with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at Rod Laver Arena in the semi-finals.

Following the clash, in the post-match conference, Aryna Sabalenka was asked about the potential return of Serena Williams to tennis after the latter refused to rule out the possibility of a comeback. The world no.1 looked excited at the prospect of Williams' return and shared that it would be 'cool' to have her back in the game.

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Aryna Sabalenka On Serena Williams' Potential Return To Tennis

Sabalenka seemed positive about the American player's possible comeback in the game. Additionally, she shared that it would be a joy to have her back on the tour.

Sabalenka shared, "That’s amazing. I heard she’s enjoying her life. Whatever makes her happy, I’m happy for her. If she wants to come back, that’s her decision. It’s gonna be fun to see her back on tour. She’s got the personality. She’s a fun one. It will be cool."

When asked if this has become a topic of discussion in the locker room, Sabalenka shared, "I don’t know. No, we didn’t, me personally, I didn’t speak to anyone about that."

Aryna Sabalenka had last faced Serena Williams in the 2021 Australian Open. The Belarusian player was ranked seventh at that time, but it was Williams who came out on top, winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the fourth round. Serena Williams later reached the semi-finals before being defeated by eventual champion Naomi Osaka.

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Serena Williams Comments On Her Comeback

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has not competed since her defeat in the third round of the 2022 US Open. Following that, she re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool in December, sparking speculations of a potential return.

Initially, Williams played down the possibility of a comeback; however, during an interview with the Today show, she did not rule out the possibility of a potential return.

She shared, "That’s not a yes or a no. I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens."