Serena Williams Makes Sensational Comeback At 44 To Play Singles At Wimbledon After Getting Wildcard Entry

On Sunday, the All England Club announced that Serena will be returning to professional tennis after almost four years away from the sport. Earlier, Serena had confirmed three weeks ago that she would be teaming up with her sister Venus for the doubles competition, but no one expected her to mount a comeback in singles.

Serena, 44, will now play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon. She had already accepted a wild card for the doubles competition with her older sister, Venus.

It is worth noting that Wimbledon had kept the eighth and final women's singles wild card spot open until Williams decided to participate.

“Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she had replied when she was told there was still a wild card spot open for Wimbledon singles competition.

Wild cards are special invitations given by tournament organisers, allowing former champions and others to enter the main draw without the required entry qualifications.

Serena’s most recent singles match was the loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 US Open. At the time, she stated that she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis.

Serena has won Wimbledon seven times - 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. She’s also won 14 Grand Slams in doubles, all with Venus, and six of them came at Wimbledon.

Serena had also won the singles and doubles (with Venus) titles at the 2012 London Olympics, when the tennis competition was played on the hallowed grass of the All England Club.

Her last Wimbledon appearance came in 2022. Serena was defeated in the opening round by 115th-ranked Harmony Tan in her first match. As of now, Serena has not entered the singles draws of any grass-court tuneup tournaments before Wimbledon.

Serena is currently 593 in the doubles rankings, and she has no singles ranking after being away for so long.

She could potentially face Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka or any other top-ranked player in the opening rounds because she has no singles ranking.