Serena Williams set for Wimbledon singles as All England Club grants wild card alongside doubles entry with Venus
Serena Williams has accepted a wild card for the Wimbledon women's singles, ending a four-year absence from individual competition and adding to her already confirmed doubles entry with sister Venus.
The announcement
The All England Club’s Sunday statement confirmed that Serena Williams, the 44-year-old American who turns 45 in September, had been granted a wild card for the women’s singles at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships (29 June – 12 July). It was the final wild card allocated for the singles tournament. The seven-time champion had already secured a wild card for the doubles event, where she will pair with her sister Venus. Wimbledon’s social media message left no room for doubt: 'This is not a drill. Serena Williams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at #Wimbledon as a wild card.'
Return to competition
Williams last contested a singles match on 3 September 2022, when she fell to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the US Open. Afterwards, she declined to use the word 'retiring' and instead said she was 'evolving' away from the sport. After a break of almost four years, she stepped back onto court in doubles in early June. At Queen’s Club in London, she and Canadian Victoria Mboko won their first-round match against Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe, but an injury to Mboko forced a withdrawal before the next round. Williams then travelled to Berlin, where she and Karolina Muchova lost in the opening round to the same Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos. Despite the mixed results, the outings convinced Wimbledon organisers that the former world No. 1 was ready for singles.
Reactions from the tennis world
Players and past champions welcomed the news enthusiastically.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka described Williams as 'a legend' and added:Serena took the game to another level and it's incredible for the sport that she's pushing boundaries and coming back. For many of the younger players, they never had the chance to face her, so it will be a new and exciting experience.
Naomi Osaka, who defeated Williams in the 2018 US Open final, said:It's inspiring to see her. I'm excited to watch her play and probably face her. Very good news for tennis.
Coco Gauff, who has never faced Williams, said it would be 'great for this sport to have a legend'.She'll bring people to watch tennis. I'll definitely be watching her first match. Serena and Venus were my role models growing up, so it will be great to see her back at the venue.
Wimbledon history and the draw
Williams owns seven Wimbledon singles titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016), tying her with Steffi Graf and only two shy of Navratilova’s nine. Together with Venus she has won six doubles crowns at the All England Club, part of 14 Grand Slam doubles trophies. Her last appearance on Center Court, in 2022, ended in a painful first-round loss to France’s Harmony Tan after a year away with a serious right hamstring injury. The main-draw ceremony is set for Friday, 26 June; tournament action starts on 29 June.
- Serena Williams loses to Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open — her last singles match before the comeback.
- Wimbledon organisers announce a wild card for Williams in the ladies' singles.
- Main-draw ceremony; Williams learns her first-round opponent.
- The Wimbledon Championships begin.
