Overview
- The Wimbledon main draw released on Friday confirmed Serena Williams will open her singles comeback against 20‑year‑old Maya Joint, with play beginning June 29.
- Williams accepted the final women's singles wildcard after warmup doubles at Queen’s Club and Berlin and will also play doubles with her sister Venus at SW19.
- As an unranked wildcard Williams can be drawn against any opponent, so a win over Joint would likely pit her against 29th seed Alexandra Eala in round two and possibly Iga Swiatek in round three.
- Coverage and tournament planning have shifted to feature Williams heavily, with organisers and broadcasters preparing for elevated ticket demand, TV ratings and social‑media attention tied to her return.
- Observers stress sporting uncertainty after a four‑year singles hiatus at age 44, noting her strong serve in doubles warmups but also the physical challenge of rejoining Grand Slam singles play; Harmony Tan’s failure to qualify removes a potential 2022 rematch.