Serena Williams has been left off this year's International Tennis Hall of Fame ballot following her stunning comeback from retirement. The 23-time Grand Slam winner "evolved away" from tennis at the 2022 US Open.

However, she rejoined the anti-doping pool late last year - a mandatory step for any retired athlete looking to return - and came back to competition at London's Queen's Club this summer.

Williams has subsequently participated in multiple doubles encounters and also dropped a tight three-set singles battle to Maya Joint at Wimbledon. Whether she'll keep competing into 2027 remains uncertain.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame stipulates that a player must not have been a 'significant factor' on the tour for a minimum of five years before becoming eligible for induction.

Since Williams made her return this year, she might now need to wait until at least 2031 before being eligible for Hall of Fame consideration, possibly even longer if she keeps playing.

Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has now slammed the Hall of Fame rules, arguing it would be absurd to delay recognizing Williams' accomplishments and impact for years.

"I know it's supposed to reset the clock," he said on his podcast, Served.

"Are we saying that if she plays another year, we're going to wait for Serena to get into the Hall of Fame? Let's say she plays through next year. So we're going to wait until 2033 when Serena is like 50 to put her into the Hall of Fame? Bulls---.

"The 2031 is if she played her last match right now. She says she's playing next year. Let's assume we take her at her word, and so it restarts then. No way. The Hall of Fame is one of the most special places on earth. You have to go. Go to an induction, see what it means to these players."

Candidates considered for the Hall of Fame ballot annually must secure at least 75 percent of the vote to gain induction. And Roddick added: "If you get a unanimous yes, I don't care how long you've been retired.

"Who would have actually cared if Serena came back right now and was already in the Hall of Fame? Who would say, 'That's wrong, that doesn't make any sense'. No one!".

The roster for the 2027 International Hall of Fame has been revealed, with Ash Barty, Juan Martin del Potro, and Svetlana Kuznetsova put forward for player consideration. Roger Federer featured on the ballot last year and was enshrined during a ceremony at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport this summer.

Despite Federer retiring at the 2022 Laver Cup, participating in one final doubles contest alongside Rafael Nadal, he had not been a meaningful presence on the circuit since 2021. He competed in his last official match at Wimbledon that summer, exiting in the quarter-finals, and then ended his season to undergo a third knee operation in two years.

The Swiss tennis legend never made an official comeback to competitive play, appearing only at the Laver Cup to bid his farewell to professional tennis.