By Bob Stockton
Just when the tennis world thought it had seen the last of Serena Williams in a singles draw, the greatest of all time went and changed her mind. In news announced today by the All England Club, Serena Williams will play singles at Wimbledon after accepting a wild-card invitation. And yes — this is very much a drill.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the sport on a Sunday morning, and for good reason. Williams’ last singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 US Open — a match after which she famously said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring,” declaring instead that she was “evolving” away from tennis. Four years later, that evolution has apparently taken a sharp turn back toward Centre Court.
The Decision That Had Everyone Watching
Wimbledon held open the eighth and final women’s singles wild-card spot until Williams made up her mind. And it was far from a foregone conclusion. As recently as earlier this week, after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared to be waffling over the decision. “Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she replied when told a wild-card spot was still available.
She even put the question to her doubles partner. “Do you think I’m ready for singles?” she asked a reporter, then turned to doubles partner Karolína Muchová. “I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player responded. Apparently, that was enough to tip the scales.
Her response to the announcement? Characteristically Serena. “Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose,” she posted on X after the wild card was confirmed.
A Comeback Already in Motion
Williams’ comeback had, until today, run entirely through the doubles court. She played her first match in four years at Queen’s Club earlier this month alongside Canadian Victoria Mboko, winning the opener before the pair had to withdraw when Mboko picked up a knee injury. She then partnered Muchová in Berlin, where they fell in the first round.
Now she’ll play both singles and doubles at SW19. She and older sister Venus Williams had already accepted a wild card for the doubles competition — their first pairing at the All England Club in a decade.
The Stakes Are Real
Don’t let the fairytale narrative fool you — there are actual tennis stakes here. Because Serena 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. Swiatek is the defending champion; Sabalenka holds the world No. 1 ranking.
And yet, if Williams can win even a single match, she would become the fourth-oldest woman in the Open Era to win a singles match at a Major.
Seven Titles. One More Chapter?
The legend carries 73 singles titles on her illustrious résumé, including 23 Grand Slam championships — seven of them at Wimbledon, with titles in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2016. Nobody is seriously expecting an eighth. But nobody seriously expected this announcement either.
Wimbledon begins June 29, and Williams will learn her first-round opponent on Friday when the singles draw is held.
Whatever happens in that draw — and whatever happens on court — one thing is already certain: Serena Williams returning to Wimbledon singles at 44 is the most compelling storyline of the summer. Centre Court is going to be electric.
Don’t look away.
