There is still a week until the start of the Grand Slam in Wimbledon. However, the traditional London lawn tournament already has a surprise coming up!
“This is not a practice,” the organizer begins his post on social media, before then announcing the sensation: “Serena Williams will take part in the women’s singles tournament in 2026 with a wildcard,” says the official statement.
The decision comes as quite a surprise, as previously it had only been said that Williams would compete in the doubles competition together with sister Venus.
It is the next step in the comeback tour for the American, who returned to the tour at the beginning of the month, also in doubles. At her first appearance on June 9th at the Queen’s Club she won with her partner Victoria Mboko, but before the quarter-finals the duo had to withdraw due to Mboko’s injury problems.
Williams then also took part in the Grass Court Championships in Berlin, but here she suffered an opening defeat together with Karolina Muchova.
Williams back in her “living room”
Williams re-entered the anti-doping testing pool last year, raising initial hopes among fans of a return. She actually ended her unique career at the US Open in 2022.
By then, the now 44-year-old had won 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, 14 in doubles and two in mixed doubles.
It is no coincidence that she is stepping onto the big stage again at Wimbledon. Williams won 14 times on the hallowed turf, seven of them in singles. This makes her one of the most successful athletes to ever compete at Wimbledon.
Venus Williams (45), Serena’s older sister and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, made her comeback on the tour last summer.
