Ever since Serena Williams revealed nearly three weeks ago that she intended to return to professional tennis after an absence of almost four years, speculation has surrounded whether she would compete at Wimbledon.
Even so, the official confirmation from The All England Club on Sunday came as a major moment. In a brief announcement issued eight days before the start of the tournament, Wimbledon revealed that the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion had been awarded the final women's singles wild card. “Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies' singles wild card,” the statement read.
At 44 years old, Williams is now set to compete in both singles and doubles at Wimbledon. She had already accepted a doubles wild card alongside her older sister, Venus Williams. Reacting to the news, Wimbledon posted on social media: “This is not a drill.” The WTA Tour also celebrated the announcement, writing: “Name a more iconic return… we'll wait.”
Tournament organisers had intentionally kept the eighth and final singles wild card available while awaiting Williams' decision. Earlier this week, following a doubles defeat in Berlin, she appeared uncertain about whether she was prepared to enter the singles draw. When informed that a wild card spot remained available, Williams jokingly responded, “Oh my gosh, there are some left?”
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Wild cards are invitations granted by tournament organisers that allow players to enter the main draw without meeting the standard ranking requirements. Williams then questioned whether she was ready for singles competition. “Do you think I'm ready for singles?” she asked reporters before turning to doubles partner Karolina Muchova for her opinion.
“I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player replied. “That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know.” Now that her participation is confirmed, attention shifts to how effectively she can manage the physical demands of singles tennis after such a lengthy absence from the tour.
Williams last played a singles match at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. At that time, she resisted describing her departure from the sport as retirement, saying she was instead “evolving” away from tennis. She later welcomed her second daughter in 2023.
Shortly after Sunday's announcement, Williams posted on X: “Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose.”
Few players in history possess a stronger Wimbledon record. Seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles came at the All England Club, where she triumphed in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016.
She has also captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with Venus, including six Wimbledon crowns. The sisters famously won both the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics, with the tennis competition played on Wimbledon’s grass courts.
Williams' last Wimbledon appearance came in 2022, when she was defeated in the first round by Harmony Tan. That tournament marked her return after an injury had forced her to retire from her opening match at Wimbledon the previous year.
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