LONDON: Iga Swiatek is the defending champion. Aryna Sabalenka is the No. 1 women’s singles player.
Serena Williams is the star, though, at Wimbledon.
The 44-year-old Williams’ presence has been emanating throughout SW19 — the famous post code of Wimbledon — as she prepares to play her first singles match at the event in four years Tuesday when she faces No. 53 Maya Joint in the first round.
Mirra Andreeva, who just won the French Open, was basically crossing her fingers when the Wimbledon draw was announced.
“I was watching like this because I don’t think anyone in the draw would have wanted to play against Serena,” the smiling Russian teenager said Saturday. “I’m going to speak for myself. I wouldn’t want to play against Serena. I would be just very nervous.”
