Serena Williams, at 44 years old, made her highly anticipated return to singles tennis at Wimbledon, losing to 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round. This marked her first singles match in nearly four years, with her last Grand Slam appearance being the 2022 U.S. Open. Williams, who had been retired from singles play, accepted a wildcard entry to Wimbledon, alongside participating in the doubles tournament with her sister Venus.
The match, played on Centre Court, saw Williams force a deciding third set after winning a tiebreak in the second set. Despite the support from the crowd, which included her daughters, husband Alexis Ohanian, and sister Venus, Williams ultimately fell to Joint with a final score of 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. Joint, ranked 53rd in the world and 24 years Williams' junior, managed to overcome the pressure of playing a legend and advance to the second round.
Williams' return generated considerable buzz at the All England Club, especially with other star players like Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu withdrawing due to injuries. The former world No. 1 had initially only planned to play doubles, but her decision to accept a singles wildcard was influenced by the rare opportunity Wimbledon offered. Despite the loss, she expressed that simply being on court was a success, and her good friend and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki lauded her return as exciting for the sport.
