Serena Williams is officially returning to the Wimbledon singles draw as a wildcard. Photo: AFP
Tennis great Serena Williams, who retired in 2022, has been awarded a wildcard for the Wimbledon starting next week Monday.
Organisers released their initial list of wildcards on Sunday, with Williams, a seven-time champion at the All England Club, one of eight players awarded a place in the ladies' singles event. A social media post by the official Wimbledon Championships said, "This is not a drill", with a picture of Williams standing on a grass court captioned "Serena returns".
"Serena Williams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at Wimbledon as a wild card," read the post.
The 44-year-old former world No 1 and 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has not played a singles match since the 2022 US Open. The last of her Grand Slam victories came in the 2017 Australian Open. She last won Wimbledon in 2016. The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.
