Old guard boosts Wimbledon's allure in battle for centre stage

The Williams sisters, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are back at Wimbledon. What year is it again?

The mention of those names may make it feel like we're stuck in a timewarp - but, no, it is 2026 and some of the sport's greatest are returning to SW19, in one way or another.

American icon Serena Williams, 44, is making a blockbuster singles comeback after four years away from the sport and also resumes her iconic doubles pairing with sister Venus, 46.

British legend Murray is back at the scene of his greatest triumphs as part of Jack Draper's coaching team.

Djokovic, meanwhile, is only a week younger than 39-year-old Murray yet is still chasing that elusive record 25th Grand Slam title.

"It's very special to be here - we have quite a history here. It's nice to be back in 2026," said Venus Williams, who has won five singles and six doubles titles at the All England Club.

As one of the highlights of the British sporting summer, Wimbledon never goes under the radar, but the presence of the old guard will help elevate the grass-court Grand Slam in a summer stacked with sporting events.

Eyeballs are inevitably trained on the men's football World Cup, particularly with England still in the competition, while the women's T20 cricket World Cup and British Grand Prix are also jostling for the limelight.

The appearance of the legends - along with younger superstars like Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, plus the high-profile return of Briton Jack Draper - will ensure Wimbledon will remain at the centre of attention.

"We're always unbelievably excited to be part of an exciting summer of sport," Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker told BBC World Service.

"Every summer there are always other big events on and I think that does add to the buzz around sport in general. We do love being part of that."

Djokovic goes once again for a standalone record 25th major title, having remained tied with Australia's Margaret Court since the 2023 US Open.

An early defeat for either Sinner or Djokovic would blow the draw wide open.

Sabalenka, the women's world number one, is another big name who is aiming to bounce back after falling short of expectations.

The 28-year-old Belarusian missed a golden opportunity to add to her tally of four major titles - and her first not on a hard court - when she capitulated in the Roland Garros quarter-finals from a set and 4-1 up.

Afterwards, she said she was ready to quit tennis, but she quickly got over the disappointment thanks to a "couple bags of chips and some sweets".

"I think it took a couple of days to get over. I just needed to leave the place where everything happened and then I feel a little bit better," she said.

Second seed Elena Rybakina, the SW19 champion in 2022, is always a threat because of her huge serve, while Iga Swiatek, last year's runner-up Amanda Anisimova and recently crowned French Open champion Mirra Andreeva are expected to go far.