Serena Williams Returns To Wimbledon Singles After Receiving Final Wildcard

Serena Williams will return to Wimbledon ladies’ singles as the tournament’s final wildcard, with Wimbledon announcing the decision on Sunday, June 21.

“- Published Serena Williams will make a surprise return to singles action at Wimbledon later this month after accepting a wildcard”

BBC

The 44-year-old, who had retired in 2022 and said she was “evolving away” from tennis, is set to play her first-round match after the draw takes place on Friday, June 26 and the tournament begins on Monday, June 29.

BBC

USA Today said Williams had already been set to join her older sister, Venus Williams, in the women’s doubles, and that her comeback run began on June 8 at the HSSBC Championship in London.

NBC News reported that Williams’ return to professional tennis earlier this month came at the HSBC Championships in London, where she competed in the doubles event, and that the run ended prematurely after an injury to her doubles partner.

Wimbledon’s singles return also follows Williams’ doubles appearances in Berlin, where she partnered with Karolina Muchova and the pair were eliminated in the opening round.

Asked about whether she would take a singles wildcard, Williams remained coy, telling reporters: “Oh my gosh, there’s some left?” and adding, “I better get to practice! You think I’m ready for singles? I need to get to work.”

The BBC said Williams had been given the final spot in the women’s main draw and that she would discover her first-round opponent when the draw takes place on Friday, with the tournament getting under way on Monday, 29 June.

CBS Sports

The Guardian described Wimbledon’s wildcard process as the All England Club allocating its various wildcards and, as of Sunday morning, only one wildcard in either draw remaining.

In Berlin, where Williams had been victorious in doubles comeback match alongside Victoria Mboko before Mboko withdrew due to a significant knee injury, Williams declared herself satisfied with her level and then trained on the grass courts of the All England Club in advance of her return.

France 24 also quoted Wimbledon’s Instagram post as saying, “This is not a drill,” as it set up the return to singles for the 44-year-old mother of two.

Williams’ singles comeback at Wimbledon comes with a legacy built on 23 major titles, including seven Wimbledon singles championships, and BBC noted she is one short of Margaret Court’s long-standing women’s record of 24 Grand Slam wins.

“Serena Williams handed Wimbledon singles wildcard in grand slam comeback Tennis legend Serena Williams will make a surprise return to Wimbledon singles after being awarded the tournament's final wildcard on Sunday, setting up one of the biggest comebacks of this year's championships”

France 24

The BBC said Williams has not won a singles match at Wimbledon since 2019, when she lost in the final to Romania's Simona Halep, and it also recalled that in 2022 she was two points from victory against Harmony Tan before being edged out in a final-set tie-break.

In the run-up to Wimbledon, USA Today said Williams’ children are 8 and 3 years old and that she has been open about returning mainly so they can see her play.

NBC News said Wimbledon holds a special place for Williams’ legacy, where she’s won seven singles championships, and it added that her last Wimbledon titles were in 2016, winning the doubles event with her sister Venus and the singles event.

With the tournament beginning on Monday, June 29 and the singles draw taking place on Friday, June 26, Williams’ wildcard entry sets up what the sources frame as a new chapter after nearly four years away from singles at Wimbledon.