Serena Williams made her Wimbledon return on Monday night, but it ended in a three-set defeat to world No. 87 Maya Joint. The 23-time Grand Slam champion faced criticism for a perfunctory handshake with Joint and for skipping her post-match media duties. Andy Dunn argues that while Williams has always been a bad loser—a trait that fueled her greatness—the real issue is whether Wimbledon should have granted her a wildcard.
Williams' Behaviour Under Scrutiny
Williams offered Joint only the briefest handshake after the 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 loss. She also declined to speak to the press, a decision that drew further criticism. Dunn notes that Williams has long been known as a fierce competitor who hates losing, which has driven her to seven Wimbledon titles. "The handshake and lack of warmth towards Joint... was noticeable but this was not an exhibition match," he writes.
Wildcard Controversy
The more significant debate centers on whether Williams deserved a wildcard, having not played a competitive singles match in four years. Dunn questions if Wimbledon used the wildcard as a marketing ploy to boost star power during the World Cup. "She never had any realistic chance of winning a 24th Grand Slam title," he states. British wildcard recipients fared similarly poorly, with five of six losing in the first round, each earning £80,000.
Dunn concludes that Williams' behaviour, while not exemplary, is typical of her competitive nature. However, he predicts that Wimbledon will not repeat such an invitation for past-their-prime legends. "One thing is for sure. Williams did little wrong and was, well, just Williams, but it won’t be happening again."
