Serena Williams has taken the first step toward a comeback to tennis by registering for drug tests

Serena Williams has taken the first step that would be required ahead of a comeback to tennis, registering with the sport's drug-testing body, a spokesman for the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said Tuesday.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion , one of the greats of the game, has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open . At the time, Williams said she didn't want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis.

It was not immediately clear when or where — or even if — Williams actually will play again . Her agent did not immediately return a request for comment.

Williams, who is now 44, was one of the biggest stars of any sport , a dominant talent on the court and still someone drawing attention away from it.