The All England Club announced Sunday that Serena Williams has received the final women's singles wild card for Wimbledon, ending weeks of speculation about the 23-time Grand Slam champion's return to professional tennis after nearly four years away from the sport.
Official Announcement and Reactions
"Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies' singles wild card," read the key line in the announcement, issued eight days before the grass-court Grand Slam begins. Wimbledon declared on social media, "This is not a drill," while the WTA Tour commented, "Name a more iconic return…we'll wait."
At age 44, Williams will compete in both singles and doubles at Wimbledon, having already accepted a wild card to play doubles with older sister Venus.
Decision-Making Process
Wimbledon held the eighth and final women's singles wild card spot open until Williams made up her mind. Earlier this week, after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared uncertain. When told a wild card spot remained, she replied, "Oh my gosh, there are some left?" She then questioned her readiness: "Do you think I'm ready for singles?" she asked a reporter, before turning to doubles partner Karolina Muchova. "I think I would be interested in it," Muchova responded. Williams added, "That's the question of the hour, right? I don't know. I don't know."
Return to Singles Competition
Williams' most recent singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she was "evolving" away from tennis rather than retiring. Her second daughter was born in 2023. After the wild card announcement, Williams posted on X: "Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose."
Seven of Williams' 23 Grand Slam singles titles have come at Wimbledon (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016). She has also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with Venus, six of them at Wimbledon, and swept singles and doubles at the 2012 London Olympics held at the All England Club.
Recent Form and Draw
At her last Wimbledon appearance in 2022, Williams lost in the opening round to 115th-ranked Harmony Tan after an injury-shortened match the previous year. Last week, she won a doubles match with Victoria Mboko at Queen's Club before Mboko withdrew due to a knee injury. In Berlin on Tuesday, Williams and Muchova lost to Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.
As of Sunday, Williams had not entered any grass-court tuneup singles draws before Wimbledon. She has no singles ranking after her long absence, while her doubles ranking stands at No. 593 after last week's victory. The singles draw on Friday will determine her first-round opponent; due to her unranked status, she could potentially face defending champion Iga Swiatek or world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the opening rounds.
