Serena Williams refuses to rule out tennis return in awkward interview

Asked why she had re-entered the drug-testing programme, Williams said: “Did I re-enter? I didn’t know if I was out. Listen, I can’t discuss this.”

Williams’s sister Venus played at this month’s Australian Open in Melbourne aged 45 after being handed a wild card and was knocked out in the first round. Venus also competed at tournaments in Auckland and Hobart after returning to tennis in July after almost two years away.

During the Australian Open, the former world No1 Jim Courier, now a commentator, noted how onerous it was for athletes to be in the anti-doping testing pool.

Once they are in, they need to provide information about where and when they are available to give samples. They need to complete testing for six months before being allowed to return to competition.

“No person that doesn’t have intentions to play professional tennis is going to put themselves in that list, especially someone who has as much experience doing it as Serena Williams,” Courier said.

“Serena denied [in December] she’s coming back, but I think unless she gets injured there is no doubt she’s going to play somewhere at some point.

“Whether that’s the mixed doubles at the US Open, whether that’s doubles with her sister somewhere, whether it’s singles, only she knows. But there’s no other way to interpret that.”

The Williams sisters won 14 grand-slam doubles titles and and three Olympic gold medals as a pair.

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