Serena Williams says she is "just going to see what happens", as the 23-time grand slam winner refused to rule out a return to professional tennis.

The 44-year-old, whose major title tally is only bettered by Novak Djokovic and Margaret Court (both 24), retired following the 2022 US Open.

However, Williams' name reappeared on a document of players registered for the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) drug testing pool in early October.

Under ITIA legislation, players are eligible to return to competition after spending six months in the testing pool.

Williams said in December she was "not coming back" to professional tennis.

Although she was not quite so definitive during an interview with Savannah Guthrie on the Today Show on Wednesday, when asked about a potential return to the court.

"I don't know, I'm just going to see what happens," Williams said. "It's not a maybe.

"I don't know if I was out," she added when asked if she had re-entered the drug testing pool. "Listen, I can't discuss this.

"If I want to put it [rumours] to bed... listen, I want to go to bed."