The Queen Returns: Serena Williams’ Defiant Comeback at 44

In the summer of 2022, Serena Williams stepped onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium court for what the world believed was her final act. At 40, with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a trail of shattered records, and a legacy that transcended tennis, she told Vogue she was “evolving” away from the sport.

Her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanović at the US Open that September was emotional, raw, and…