Wimbledon 2026: What to Know About Serena Williams' Return

Serena Williams Officially Returning 4 Years After “Evolving Away From Tennis”

The queen is returning to her court.

After "evolving away from tennis" in 2022, Serena Williams is coming back to play in her first singles match in nearly four years at Wimbledon 2026.

However, the GOAT admitted she initially volleyed with her decision to enter the tournament as a wild card.

"I thought, 'Not every day Wimbledon holds a wild card for someone,'" she told reporters June 28. "I can name probably a handful of people and happened to be one of those people, and I thought, 'Well, I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again. This could be it.'"

With the ball in her court, Serena ultimately decided to give The Championships a shot.

"I was like, 'What’s wrong with me, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you nuts? You really should do this,’” the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion continued. “People live to be an athlete, and I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do best, I suppose. Ultimately, I was like, ‘That is pretty cool. So, I should do it.’”

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Tennis fans can thank Serena’s 8-year-old daughter Olympia—one of two kids she shares with Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian along with 2-year-old daughter Adira—for her and Venus' first doubles run since the 2022 U.S. Open.

"My daughter Olympia told me I should play with Venus at Wimbledon," Serena said June 16 at a Berlin Open press conference. "She’s always right. So, I was like, 'OK.'"

And the athlete noted her eldest daughter was "very serious" about the call. "She’s very smart. She’s very wise, I think is a better word," she continued. "So, I said, 'OK, Olympia. We’ll see if we could do it.'"

To ace your knowledge about Serena’s upcoming Wimbledon matches, keep reading.

When Does Serena Williams Play at Wimbledon?

You’ll want to be on the ball about Serena’s schedule. Her first-round singles match at Wimbledon will be held on June 30. Play on All England Lawn Tennis Club's Centre Court begins at 8:30 a.m. EST, and Serena’s match—which is the third and final of the day—is set to start at approximately 11:20 a.m. EST.

As for her match with Venus, an official date and time has yet to be announced. However, the first round of ladies’ doubles begins July 2 and continues July 3. Needless to say, the sisters are looking forward to continuing their legacy.

"Very special indeed," Venus told reporters June 28. "We have had quite a history here, and it’s nice to be back in 2026. So, ready to go."

Who Is Serena Williams Playing at Wimbledon?

For her first-round singles match, Serena is facing off against Maya Joint, the 20-year-old player who represents Australia.

In doubles, Serena and Venus will compete against Camila Osorio, 24, from Colombia and Solana Sierra, 22, from Argentina.

Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

How Many Times Has Serena Williams Won Wimbledon?

Of Serena’s 23 Grand Slam singles titles, seven of them were at Wimbledon. As for her 14 Grand Slam doubles titles—all won with Venus—six of them were Wimbledon championships.

Serena's most recent Wimbledon win was in 2016, when she took home trophies in both singles and doubles. However, she’s focused less on the sisters' highly celebrated history and more on the future.

"I don’t really look too much in the past of what I’ve done," the four-time Olympic gold medalist told reporters June 28. "You would never know that I was a professional athlete if you spent the day with me at home. My trophies are — they’re not hidden, but they’re in a room that’s not crazy visible. So, I don’t know, I never really think too much about what Venus and I have done here."

And while they "do have memories sometimes," she continued, "I think most memories I’ve had were the last couple of weeks and mostly Olympic memories in particular."

How Can Fans Watch Serena Williams Play at Wimbledon?

Viewers can watch Wimbledon matches on ESPN, and some coverage will also air on ABC.

To learn more about the lives of Serena, Venus and more tennis stars off the court, read on.

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