Serena Williams is heading back to Wimbledon, this time as the singles player to watch. The 44-year-old accepted the final wildcard entry into the 2026 draw on Sunday, setting up her first singles match in nearly four years.
Williams's last singles match came during the 2022 US Open. She had already received a doubles wildcard entry alongside her sister, Venus, but the singles invitation to the All England Club proved too significant to pass up.
Serena Williams Gears Up for 2026 Wimbledon Campaign
"I thought, not every day Wimbledon holds a wild card for someone," Williams told reporters. "I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I'll ever make it here again?"
Still, Williams arrives in London with more than nostalgia backing her up. Over the past few weeks, she found her footing on grass with doubles matches at Queen's Club and in Berlin, where she flashed her trademark serve and told reporters she felt "more nimble, more sturdy and quicker" with each outing.
Now, Williams will face Australia's Maya Joint on Tuesday in the opening round at the biggest tournament of the year.
At 44, she becomes the second-oldest woman to compete in a Wimbledon singles main draw in the Open Era, behind only Martina Navratilova. But no player in the Open Era has collected more Grand Slam singles titles than Williams's 23.
Where to Watch Wimbledon 2026
Serena Williams look to add one more title as Wimbledon kicks off today on ABC and across ESPN networks. Coverage begins at 6 AM ET daily on ESPN, ESPN 2, and ABC.
Williams's match against Joint is expected to begin on Tuesday, June 30th at 11:20 AM ET.
