Serena Williams to make Wimbledon singles comeback after being handed wildcard

Serena Williams, pictured in doubles action in Berlin last week, last competed in singles at Wimbledon in 2022. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenSerena Williams, pictured in doubles action in Berlin last week, last competed in singles at Wimbledon in 2022. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesSerena Williams to make Wimbledon singles comeback after being handed wildcardSeven-time champion, now 44, continues on-court returnShe will also compete in doubles with sister VenusAmerican ⁠tennis great Serena Williams will make ⁠a ⁠stunning return ​to singles action at this ⁠year’s Wimbledon after being handed ⁠the final wildcard ​by ‌the All ‌England Club on ‌Sunday.

The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, who has 23 grand slam titles in all, was already assured of a return ‌to the championships for the ​first time in four years after accepting a ⁠doubles wildcard with ​sister ​Venus.Cerúndolo fights back in marathon three-hour Queen’s final to defeat PaulRead moreWimbledon’s X account posted: “This is not a drill. @serenawilliams will compete in the 2026 ladies’ singles at #Wimbledon as a wild card.”

She had stepped away from competitive tennis after 2022’s US Open, pointedly avoiding specific mention of retirement but instead saying she was “evolving away from tennis”. Her last Wimbledon singles match win was a semi-final victory in 2019 – the tournament was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and she made first-round exits in 2021 and 2022 – retiring injured from the former and losing in three sets to Harmony Tan in the latter.Serena suffered a disappointing defeat in her second doubles comeback match last week at the German Open alongside Czechia’s Karolina Muchova, with the pair losing 6-4, 6-4 to Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos.

Williams and Victoria Mboko had defeated Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez at the Queen’s Club tournament. However, Mboko was forced to withdraw from their next match and the remainder of the grass-court season after tearing her medial collateral ligament.This story will be updatedExplore more on these topicsSerena WilliamsWimbledon 2026WimbledonTennisUS sportsnewsShareReuse this content