Serena Williams has confirmed she will return to singles competition at Wimbledon, accepting a wildcard into the main draw just one day before the qualifying draw was made. The 44-year-old, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, last played a competitive singles match at the 2022 US Open, after which she said she had 'evolved away' from tennis. Now, after four years away from the sport, she is set to face Australia's Maya Joint on Centre Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Last-Minute Decision to Compete
Williams revealed that her decision to take the singles wildcard was made at the very last moment. 'I had until Monday to decide. I think it was like Sunday. I just wasn't sure up until then. Honestly, I'm still not even sure, but we'll see,' she said with a smile during her pre-tournament press conference. The wildcard was announced on Sunday 21 June, one day before the qualifying draw commenced. Williams admitted that the opportunity to play at Wimbledon again was a key factor: 'It's not every day Wimbledon holds a wildcard for someone. I can name probably a handful of people. I happened to be one of those people. I thought: 'I should really take this opportunity.' Who knows if I'll ever make it here again? This could be it.'
A Different Mindset for This Return
Unlike her previous campaigns, where she relentlessly pursued a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title, Williams says she is returning with a different perspective. 'My expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career. My feelings are just – not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn't be here today – but I feel like I'm really going to enjoy being out there,' she said. She acknowledged that her motivation this time is to savour the experience rather than add to her trophy collection.
First-Round Draw: Maya Joint
Williams, who is unseeded, could have faced top seeds Aryna Sabalenka or Elena Rybakina, but instead drew 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, who is nearly 25 years her junior. Joint, a talented young player who won a grass-court title at Eastbourne last year, has struggled recently, losing 13 of her past 14 matches. Williams acknowledged that her opponents may be wary of facing her: 'It's like the big four coming back. I mean, Novak [Djokovic] is still here, but no one would want to play them in their first round. I can't think of anyone that would want to do that.'
Training and Preparation
Williams has been training intensively, working with more practice partners than ever before to prepare for her return. Novak Djokovic noted her dedication: 'I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime. It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible. It's admirable, honestly, the effort she's putting in.'
Enjoying the Journey
Williams admitted that she never expected to be back in a press conference or on a singles court. 'I never thought I'd be back here sitting in front of this. We all know how I feel about this. So I never thought I would do this again,' she said. 'All the above. When I evolved [from tennis], I had never thought I'd come back.' She also revealed that she has been following the younger generation of players, including Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva, and appreciated the respect shown by Andreeva, who had expressed nervousness about potentially facing Williams. 'I just think that's an immense amount of respect, which is yet another reason why I love her,' Williams said.
As she steps onto Centre Court, Williams is embracing the uncertainty and the challenge, focusing on enjoying every moment. 'I was like: 'What's wrong with me, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you nuts?' Like: 'You really should do this.' People live to be an athlete. I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do, what I do best, I suppose. I think ultimately I was like: 'That is pretty cool, so I should do it.''
