Serena Williams is set to make her return to Wimbledon on Tuesday, a decade after clinching her seventh singles title at the All England Club. The 44-year-old American, who has not played a competitive singles match since the 2022 US Open, will face Australia’s Maya Joint in the first round. Joint, ranked No. 53, has encountered challenges recently, having won only one of her last 14 matches, but she also claimed the Eastbourne Open on grass last year and considers the matchup against Williams a career highlight.
Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, received the final singles wild card for the tournament. Her comeback follows a period away from professional tennis that began after she lost in the first round of Wimbledon in 2022 to world No. 115 Harmony Tan. Since then, Williams has said she was “evolving away from tennis,” with the birth of her second daughter in 2023 marking a significant personal milestone. However, after rejoining the anti-doping pool in December, losing weight, and training with coach Rennae Stubbs, the former world No. 1 has signaled she is ready to compete again.
The match between Williams and Joint is notable not only for the 24-year age gap but also for the contrasting career trajectories. While Williams boasts one of the greatest records in tennis history, Joint—who was born in Michigan but represents Australia—has made limited progress in Grand Slam tournaments and faces the biggest match of her career. Joint has expressed excitement about the opportunity but emphasized the need to focus on the game without being overwhelmed by the occasion.
Should Williams advance past Joint, she may face 29th seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in the second round. A potential third-round encounter with defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, who is aiming to become the first player since Williams in 2016 to win back-to-back Wimbledon titles, adds further intrigue to Williams’s comeback path.
The women’s draw at Wimbledon features other notable players, including world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who seeks her first Wimbledon crown after a French Open quarterfinal exit. Rising stars such as Russian 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, and home favorite Emma Raducanu also add depth to the field.
Williams and her sister Venus, both granted wild cards in women’s doubles, are also scheduled to compete together, facing the Colombian-Argentinian team of Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra in the opening round. The Williams sisters collectively hold 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, six of which were won at Wimbledon.
Wimbledon officially begins Monday, with Williams’s return set to command significant attention on and off Centre Court. Analysts have noted the mental and physical challenges she may face, yet many acknowledge Williams’s unparalleled confidence and champion mentality as factors that could influence her performance.