Serena Williams will face Australian Maya Joint in the first round of Wimbledon after the All England Club awarded the American legend a wildcard entry for her singles comeback. Williams, 44, has not played a competitive singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open, where she reached the third round before saying she was "evolving away from tennis." The match against 20-year-old Joint, ranked No. 53, is scheduled for Tuesday.
Who is Maya Joint?
Joint is a 20-year-old Australian who was born in Michigan but represents Australia through her father, Michael, a former professional squash player. She won the grass-court Eastbourne Open last year and holds two WTA Tour titles overall. Joint made her Wimbledon debut in 2025, losing in the first round to Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-2, and has advanced past the opening round of a Grand Slam only once, at the 2025 U.S. Open.
Why this match matters for Williams
Williams is the seven-time Wimbledon singles champion and has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, but faces a tricky opening against a player who has won on grass. Should Williams advance, she could meet defending champion Iga Świątek in the third round. Williams' last victory at Wimbledon came in the 2019 semi-finals against Barbora Strycova; she lost the final to Simona Halep that year and has not won a singles match at the All England Club since.
Comeback context
Williams' return to singles comes after competing in doubles at two warm-up events this month: the HSBC Championships and the Berlin Open. She will also compete in doubles at Wimbledon alongside her sister Venus, who turned 46 last week. Wimbledon begins Monday with the top half of the draws; the bottom half, where Williams is seeded, begins Tuesday.
Sources
- CBC: Serena Williams draws 20-year-old Maya Joint in first Wimbledon singles match in 4 years. 2026-06-26.
- Straits Times: Williams to face Australia's Joint in Wimbledon comeback. 2026-06-27.
- International Olympic Committee: Wimbledon 2026: Serena Williams faces Maya Joint on comeback. 2026-06-26.
Reported from public sources.