Serena Williams’ Wimbledon return: What to know about her comeback match

First round match Wimbledon it is usually not considered a major event. The return of Serena Williams is one of the differences.

Williams, 44, is set to play 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint on Tuesday, June 30, in her first Wimbledon singles match since 2022, and tennis fans they wonder in anticipation.

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Williams has not played a single match since the 2022 US Open, where she “changed” retired from tennis after losing in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic. In the years since, she’s had a second child, expanded her business career, and moved into the kind of post-tennis look that many fans thought was permanent.

The comeback didn’t come out of nowhere. Williams has been back on the court since 2025. But the singles decision, according to Williams, was not straightforward. In his press conference before the tournament, he said that Wimbledon had made a card for him and that he is still not sure until the last days before the draw.

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Part of the hesitation, Williams said, stemmed from what it would take to return to professional tennis. To compete again, he had to re-enter the anti-doping testing pool and make himself available under the game’s location rules, which require players to provide a daily one-hour testing window and inform officials of their whereabouts.

Williams he told reporters that the process has been “difficult,” especially as someone who balances tennis with children, travel, and running multiple businesses. He said he understands why testing is important, but said that parts of the system feel meaningless to players whose lives don’t mesh well in one area or one schedule.

Ultimately, however, “I thought I should take this opportunity,” Williams said. “Who knows if I’ll ever get here again? It just might.”

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Williams has won seven Wimbledon titles and 23 Grand Slam titles in total. This time, though, Williams said his expectations are different. He hasn’t talked much about chasing history and more about relishing the chance to compete again.

Tennis players have spoken of the comeback as an important moment for the game. Novak Djokovic called it “inspirational” and “epic,” while Aryna Sabalenka said Williams’ return is bringing more eyes to tennis. Online, fans have followed his training sessions, press conference quotes, unusual news, and even market predictions around whether he would take the court.

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But the response has not been entirely celebratory.

Williams’ wild card has also reopened the debate about access and fairness in Grand Slam tournaments. Wild cards are optional entries, meaning that tournaments can award players who don’t qualify at the highest level. In Williams’ case, Wimbledon left its final singles wild-card spot open before awarding it to her.

The decision has disappointed some fans, who claim that a player playing on tour could have used the area, and Williams should remain retired.

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On the other hand, Williams’ draw also draws attention to her opponent, Maya Joint. Joint was born after Williams had already won several Grand Slam titles, and he has spoken of Williams with nothing but respect.

“It’s an honor,” Joint told the WTA. “I always dreamed of playing Serena Williams, and if you would have told me 10 years ago that I would play her in the first round at Wimbledon, that’s crazy.”

However, a win over Williams at Wimbledon would be a career boost for her.

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The results could be Serena’s comeback, Maya’s breakout breakout, or an early look at what this version of Williams can still bring to the court. Either way, it’s already been bigger than a typical first-round matchup, with us Mashable will be in charge.

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