# Serena Williams Stuns Tennis World With Wimbledon Comeback at 44 — First Grand Slam Singles Since 2022

*2026-06-29 10:03 UTC · Other · 2 min read*

> Serena Williams, 44, accepts a Wimbledon 2026 wildcard for her first Grand Slam singles match since the 2022 US Open, facing 20-year-old Maya Joint on opening day.

Serena Williams, 44, has accepted a wildcard to compete in Wimbledon 2026 singles, making her first Grand Slam singles appearance since the 2022 US Open. The 23-time Grand Slam champion will face 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint in the first round at the All England Club on Monday, June 29 — a match that has immediately become the most anticipated opening-round contest of the tournament.

Williams stepped back from competitive singles after the 2022 US Open, but received both a singles and a doubles wildcard at Wimbledon 2026 (she will also partner with sister Venus in doubles). "I had never thought I would come back," she told reporters ahead of the tournament. Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic praised her return ahead of his own opening match, and 19-year-old rising star Mirra Andreeva admitted candidly: "I would not want to play against her."

Her comeback sends shockwaves through the sport. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is drawn in a section where the two could potentially meet if both advance. Williams says her motivation is deeply personal: "It is really about my kids getting to see me play." At 44, she would be the oldest woman to compete in a Grand Slam singles main draw in the Open Era if she advances beyond the first round.

## Sources

- [wtatennis.com](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4526165/wimbledon-draw-swiatek-could-face-serena-williams-marta-kostyuk-in-title-defense-campaign)
- [olympics.com](https://www.olympics.com/en/news/serena-williams-accepts-wimbledon-2026-singles-wild-card-for-stunning-grand-slam-comeback)
- [deccanherald.com](https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2026-novak-djokovic-lauds-serena-williams-ahead-of-comeback-4054537)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/1912-serena-williams-stuns-tennis-world-with-wimbledon-comeback-at-44-first-grand
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/1985-serena-williamsova-sokuje-svet-tenisu-ve-44-letech-se-vraci-do-wimbledonu-prvni