The seven-time women’s singles champion will return to a Grand Slam at Wimbledon six years after her last appearance.
Published June 21, 2026
Serena Williams has been awarded a wildcard entry to the Wimbledon Women’s Singles Championship, paving the way for her return to Grand Slam competition.
The All England Club announced on Sunday that the American tennis great, who returned to competition last month after a three-and-a-half year retirement, became the eighth and final player to earn a wildcard in the women’s singles category.
Wildcards are handed out by tournament organizers to ranked players who are not allowed automatic entry, and are usually given to home players, players with stellar careers, or high-profile players returning from injury.
“This is not a drill,” the third Grand Slam of the year announced Williams’ return in a post on Instagram and X.
Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, winning her last title in 2016 and retiring in 2022.
Her return to slam competitions was confirmed when she accepted a wildcard in women’s doubles to compete alongside her sister Venus. The sisters won a record six doubles titles between 2000 and 2016.
Williams first appeared at Wimbledon in 1998, reaching the third round in singles.
The 44-year-old made her return to competitive tennis at the Queen’s Club Championships, playing her first match on June 9 against Canadian doubles partner Victoria Mboko. The two left the tournament in the quarterfinals with byes due to Mboko’s injury.
Williams also played in the Berlin Open last week with Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova, but lost in the round of 16.
The American is perhaps the greatest female tennis player of the Open era, winning 37 Grand Slam titles and 96 WTA titles.
She stepped away from the sport after the 2022 U.S. Open, saying she would “evolve away from tennis,” but she hasn’t officially retired.
The mother of two announced her return from retirement on June 2 by posting a social media video with the caption, “Good news travels quickly.”
The announcement shocked the tennis world and was warmly received by current and former players.
