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44-year-old Serena Williams earns Wimbledon wildcard, faces debutant

6/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Serena Williams received a last-minute wildcard into the Wimbledon women’s singles draw, marking her first singles entry since retiring in 2022.
At 44, Williams will open the tournament against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint.
Joint, ranked No. 53, entered the season with two 2025 WTA titles and a 3-15 record.
A win would advance Williams to a second-round match versus 29-seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, during Wimbledon’s 109th edition, Martina Navratilova entered the ladies’ singles as a veteran wildcard, later becoming the oldest Open-Era winner at 47 in 2004. That precedent underlies the 2024 decision to grant 44-year-old Serena Williams a last-minute wildcard, showing Wimbledon’s occasional use of wildcards to spotlight former champions and draw audience interest.

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Story summary

Serena Williams received a last-minute wildcard into the Wimbledon women’s singles draw, marking her first singles entry since retiring in 2022.
At 44, Williams will open the tournament against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint.
Joint, ranked No. 53, entered the season with two 2025 WTA titles and a 3-15 record.
A win would advance Williams to a second-round match versus 29-seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

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