Serena returns; Italian men surge at French Open

Serena Williams is making an astonishing comeback to professional tennis at 44, returning to competitive action next week in women's doubles at Queen's Club in London with partner Victoria Mboko. The tennis icon called the grass-court event the "perfect place" for her return after nearly four years away from the tour. Meanwhile, the 2026 French Open (WTA) continues to deliver drama and historic moments: Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka 7–5, 6–3 in Monday's quarterfinal, which marked a rare women's night session at Roland Garros—the first since 2023. On the men's side, three Italians advanced to the quarterfinals when Matteo Arnaldi outlasted Frances Tiafoe 7–6(5), 6–7(5), 3–6, 7–6(3), 6–4 in a five-hour, 26-minute marathon that ended after 1 a.m. Tuesday, eliminating the last American man in the draw. Matteo Berrettini reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time in nearly four years, saying tennis remains the "love of my life" after his injury comeback. Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska continued her dream run by reaching the quarterfinals, while either Elina Svitolina or Marta Kostyuk will become the first Ukrainian woman to reach the French Open semifinals. Off court, the French Open fined Paraguay's Adolfo Daniel Vallejo €65,000 for making sexist remarks about a female umpire, and tournament organizers confirmed they have no immediate plans for electronic line-calling on clay courts. The 2026 French Open (ATP) continues its quarterfinal rounds this week.