It’s been four years since Serena Williams last competed at Wimbledon, but the 23-time major champion is officially back.
Williams, 44, returned to the WTA earlier this month and later earned a wild card to play in the singles and doubles draws at the All England Club. All of her matches are must-see events and will likely take place on Center Court, but there are many unknowns about how she will fare against the world’s best players after such a long absence.
But here’s everything we know about Williams’ 2026 Wimbledon campaign, her return, and when and where you can watch her.
Who will play Williams and when?
Williams will first play singles on Tuesday (ESPN, time TBA) against Maya Joynt, a 20-year-old Australian who is currently ranked 53rd and playing in her second Wimbledon main draw. It will be Williams’ first singles match since she “stepped away” from tennis following her third-round loss at the 2022 U.S. Open. Williams has won the singles title seven times at the tournament.
Williams will play doubles with her sister Venus, 46, and the pair will start playing against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio on Thursday or Friday. The Williams sisters have won 14 major doubles titles together, including six at the All England Club.
What will her trajectory be in singles and doubles?
In singles, Williams has a favorable opening match against the inexperienced joint, but victory is not guaranteed.
If she wins, her path will become even more difficult. She will likely face No. 29 seed Alexandra Ila, who reached the semifinals in Berlin earlier this month and brings enthusiastic crowds to every match she plays. Ila teamed up with Venus in Bad Homburg and the two reached the quarter-finals. If Williams defeats Ila, she could have the unenviable task of facing third-seeded Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, in the third round.
2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini could be waiting in the round of 16, with No. 8 Elina Svitolina, No. 12 Marta Kostyuk, No. 23 Emma Navarro and No. 31 Donna Vekic — all four players with recent momentum and success — on the other side of the quarter.
Her path in doubles won’t be that easy. If they win their opening match, the Williams sisters will face ninth-seeded Ellen Perez and Demi Schurs, who just reached the final in Bad Homburg. Fifth seeds Erin Routliff and Nicole Melichar-Martinez, the pair Williams and Victoria Mboko defeated at the Queen’s Club, could be potential round-of-16 opponents. The quarterfinals could feature fourth seed and 2026 Australian Open champion Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai.
Why is Wimbledon her first major return?
Williams has not definitively answered this question, but her resume at the All England Club provides some clues. She has won a total of 14 titles and yes, she won the mixed doubles title in 1998. Few players in history have achieved better results at this historic venue.
Grass is a difficult surface for many to navigate due to its speed, unpredictability and short annual calendar, but Williams has the track record and experience that few have. In fact, she hasn’t won back-to-back women’s championships at Wimbledon since Williams in 2015 and 2016.
Not to mention, grass surfaces are the softest and therefore the most gentle on the joints, which is an advantage for older players. Williams said it made the most sense to come back in the summer since her children were in school and on vacation.
How has her comeback been going so far?
Williams made his official comeback at the Queen’s Club earlier this month. The pair, who played doubles with Mboko, won their first round match against Routliff and Melichar Martinez 7-6(2), 6-2 in front of a sold-out crowd. Williams, who served at 190 mph in this match, clinched the victory with an ace, showing off her strong hitting power and competitive strength.
After the game, Williams gave himself a C- grade and said there was “room for improvement.” But she added that it was a lot of fun.
However, their appearance was cut short when Mboko sustained an MCL injury in one of his knees during a singles match the following day. Both players were forced to withdraw from the tournament, and Mboko will miss the remainder of the grass season.
Williams played only doubles again the following week in Berlin. The pair, who teamed up with Karolina Muchova, lost to Routliff and Juliana Olmos 6-4, 6-4 in their opening match. Williams once again had the upper hand, but Routliff and Olmos, playing Williams for the second time in a week, continued to find answers and sealed the win in 90 minutes.
From there, Williams opted to train at Wimbledon last week instead of competing in any other grass tournaments. During her time at the All England Club, she has trained alongside players such as Kostyuk and Maria Sakkari.
