Serena Williams Returns to Wimbledon Singles — Maya Joint Gets Centre Court Test

Centre Court is about to feel unusually loud for a first-round match. Serena Williams, back in the singles draw after nearly four years away, will walk out at Wimbledon on Tuesday against Australia’s Maya Joint in one of the most-watched openers of the Championships. The 44-year-old accepted the final singles wildcard after already committing to doubles with Venus Williams, turning a comeback story into a major event for tennis fans in Australia and beyond. For Joint, 20, it is a career-defining assignment against a player she described as almost mythical.

How Events Unfolded

Williams’ singles return was not planned months in advance. According to her pre-tournament comments, she was still unsure almost until the wildcard was announced, saying she had until Monday to decide and was not certain even then.

The opportunity was too rare to refuse. Wimbledon had held the final women’s singles wildcard for her, despite her having no ranking because of her inactivity on the professional tour. Williams said she realised that not many players receive that sort of opening at the All England Club.

Her first singles opponent is Joint, the Australian ranked 53rd in one ABC report and placed directly into the spotlight by the draw. The match carries extra local weight because Williams’ last singles appearance also ended against an Australian, Ajla Tomljanović, at the 2022 US Open.

There is a doubles layer too. Serena and Venus Williams are also a wildcard pair, meaning this is not a ceremonial stop-by. It is a full return to the major stage, with the singles match now carrying the bigger question: how much of Serena’s old game is still there?

The Fine Print

Williams is a 23-time grand slam singles champion and a seven-time Wimbledon singles winner. At the All England Club, she has also won six women’s doubles trophies, a mixed doubles title and two Olympic gold medals from London 2012. Those numbers explain why Wimbledon made space for her even without the ranking points needed for direct entry.

The comeback is complicated by age and match rhythm. Williams has not played a competitive singles match since 2022, and singles demands far more movement and endurance than doubles. WTA noted she will become the second-oldest woman to compete in a Wimbledon singles main draw in the Open Era, behind Martina Navratilova.

Joint’s side of the story is just as tense. The Australian has lost 13 of her past 14 matches in an injury-interrupted season, according to multiple supplied reports. Yet she has already shown grass-court ability, and Fox Sports reported she believed the match was winnable while acknowledging Williams remained an amazing player.

The Response

Other players have treated Williams’ return as both a spectacle and a serious sporting challenge. Novak Djokovic said he had seen her in the gym more than during her prime, a detail that cuts against the idea this is only about sentiment.

I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime.

Australian voices have also pushed back on Williams’ public message that she does not need to win. Sam Stosur, who beat Williams in the 2011 US Open final, told The Sydney Morning Herald she did not think Williams was returning just to make up the numbers.

She’s going into this, I think, believing she can win matches and do well.

Joint has tried to meet the occasion honestly rather than pretending it is normal. She told Fox Sports she had never expected to get the chance to play Williams because Serena had stopped playing when she first came on tour.

Putting It in Perspective

For Australian viewers, this is more than a celebrity comeback. Joint is one of 13 Australians in singles action at Wimbledon, and her match immediately becomes the most visible Australian storyline of the opening round. It is a brutal draw in attention terms, but also a rare platform.

The comparison with past Australian encounters is hard to avoid. Fox Sports recalled Ash Barty facing Williams as a teenager at the Australian Open and feeling beaten before the match had properly begun. Joint has already received encouragement from Tomljanović, who knows what it is like to beat Williams on a grand slam stage.

The wider women’s tour has also moved on since 2022. WTA’s supplied preview pointed to Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva as major forces in the current field. Williams returns not to the tour she left, but to one that has built new stars while still carrying her shadow.

Looking Ahead

Williams is scheduled to face Maya Joint on Centre Court on Tuesday, with Australian coverage listed from 7.30pm Monday AEST for Wimbledon on the Nine Network and Stan Sport in the supplied SMH report. The exact shape of her singles level will only be clear once she has to cover the full court under match pressure.

If she wins, the comeback becomes a live tournament story. If Joint wins, the Australian claims one of the biggest names a young player can beat at Wimbledon. Either way, this first-round match has already done what few openers do: it has made the whole draw stop and look.

FAQ

When does Serena Williams play Maya Joint at Wimbledon 2026?

Williams is scheduled to play Australia’s Maya Joint on Centre Court on Tuesday. The supplied Australian reports frame it as a Tuesday night AEST event for local viewers.

Why did Serena Williams get a Wimbledon wildcard?

Williams had no direct entry because she had been inactive on the women’s professional tour. Wimbledon held the final singles wildcard for her, reflecting her record at the tournament and her wider status in tennis.

Who is Maya Joint?

Maya Joint is a 20-year-old Australian player who was born and raised in Michigan and embraced the green and gold as a teenager, according to the supplied Fox Sports report. She has had a difficult 2026 season, with several reports noting she has lost 13 of her past 14 matches.

How long has Serena Williams been away from singles tennis?

Williams has not played a competitive singles match since the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović. Her Wimbledon 2026 opener is therefore her first singles match in nearly four years.

How many Wimbledon singles titles has Serena Williams won?

Williams has won seven Wimbledon singles titles. Her wider Wimbledon record also includes women’s doubles trophies, a mixed doubles crown and two Olympic gold medals won at the same venue during London 2012.