Serena Williams will face Australia's Maya Joint in the first round of Wimbledon, marking her return to singles competition after four years away from the sport. The match pits two players born nearly 25 years apart, with Williams at 44 and Joint at 20.
Williams' Path Through the Draw
Joint, a talented 20-year-old who won the Eastbourne title last year, has struggled significantly in 2026, compiling a 3-15 record. The winner of their opening match could face the in-form Filipino 25th seed Alexandra Eala in the second round. A potential third-round meeting with the third seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek looms, with the Pole beginning her title defence against Taylor Townsend. Williams and Swiatek are drawn in the bottom half of the draw, headed by Elena Rybakina.
Williams' Comeback
Williams has not competed in singles since officially retiring from professional tennis at the US Open in 2022. Speculation about her comeback intensified in December when the 44-year-old reappeared in the drug testing pool. She first returned to competition in doubles at Queen's earlier this month. The Championships announced at the eleventh hour on Sunday that Williams had received the final wildcard into the women's singles draw. She has also received a women's doubles wildcard with her sister Venus, a tournament they have won six times in doubles. Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion and a 23-time grand slam singles champion.
Raducanu's Tough Draw
Emma Raducanu has again been dealt a difficult draw at Wimbledon. The 30th seed is projected to face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round for a second consecutive year. Raducanu, managing an injury niggle in the build-up to the Championships, will start against Antonia Ruzic. However, she faces a potential second-round match against former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, the highest-ranked unseeded player. Sabalenka, the top seed, opens her tournament against Teodora Kostovic, and fourth seed Jessica Pegula has been drawn in her half.
