Serena Williams is set to make her singles return at Wimbledon against Australian Maya Joint in the first round. The seven-time women’s champion at the All England Club received a wildcard to re-enter singles play at the age of 44, marking her first competitive singles match since the US Open in 2022. Joint, who is 20 years old, previously lost in the first round during her Wimbledon main-draw debut last year and has secured only one victory in her last 14 matches.
In the men’s draw, British player Jack Draper faces a challenging opening match against American sixth seed Taylor Fritz. Draper is continuing his return from a series of injury issues and recently reached the semi-finals at Eastbourne, his first tournament since April. His coaching team now includes Andy Murray. Fritz reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year.
Notable First-Round Matches and British Contingent
British number one Emma Raducanu, seeded 30th, is scheduled to play against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic. Concerns have been raised regarding Raducanu’s fitness after she did not participate in practice on Thursday due to a shin injury. Should she advance, Raducanu could potentially meet top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, a repeat of their encounter at Wimbledon last year.
Reigning women’s champion Iga Swiatek will begin her title defence against American Taylor Townsend. In the men’s singles, seven-time champion Novak Djokovic starts his campaign for a record 25th Grand Slam title against China’s Wu Yibing. World number one Jannik Sinner, who was unexpectedly eliminated in the second round of the French Open in May, will start his title defence against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic. However, Carlos Alcaraz will not be participating in the tournament as he recovers from a wrist injury.
The British contingent in the singles draws is substantial, partly due to numerous wildcards issued by the All England Club. Cameron Norrie, seeded 26th in the men’s singles, is the highest-ranked Briton among the six players who gained direct entry based on their ranking. Norrie, a semi-finalist in 2022, will start against American qualifier Michael Zheng and could face Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the third round.
Raducanu is the only other seeded British player, having entered the top 32 following her performance at the Queen’s final earlier this month. She might face former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round, who plays Harriet Dart first. Other British players who secured their spots through ranking include Katie Boulter, Francesca Jones, and Jan Choinski.
Twelve Britons received wildcards, equally split between men and women. However, a wildcard was not provided for Davis Cup player Dan Evans, who is expected to retire after the tournament. Evans had to go through qualifying but lost in the second round. Wildcard recipient Toby Samuel has a challenging start against French Open semi-finalist Jakub Mensik.
Three players, Ollie Tarvet, Billy Harris, and Max Basing, successfully qualified after winning three matches this week. This marks the highest number of home players to qualify since 1999.
Serena Williams’ Return and Expectations
The anticipation surrounding Serena Williams’ return to singles action was palpable during the women’s draw ceremony. As a wildcard entry, Williams could have been drawn against a top-ranked player, but instead drew Maya Joint, a match that appears favourable for her. Williams is accustomed to being a focal point, and her return on Tuesday, likely on Centre Court, is expected to be no different.
If Williams progresses past her first match, she could potentially face 29th seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, with a possible third-round match against Iga Swiatek. Since beginning her comeback earlier this month, Williams has played two doubles matches. She will also compete in the Wimbledon doubles event alongside her older sister Venus, who is 46, a tournament they have won six times together.
Her decision to return to singles after nearly four years without a competitive match is seen as a significant gamble.
Williams’ serve, which reached an impressive 120mph at Queen’s, is expected to be a crucial asset on the grass courts of Wimbledon. The quick and low nature of grass courts demands physical fitness, and Williams is reportedly in excellent shape, even better than when she initially stepped away from the sport, according to former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport.
Despite her age, Williams has nothing to prove. Williams will turn 45 in September.
Other First-Round Matches of Note
In the women’s singles, top seed Aryna Sabalenka will play Teodora Kostovic, while fourth seed Jessica Pegula faces Darja Vidmanova. Fifth seed Mirra Andreeva is set to meet Magda Linette, and seventh seed Coco Gauff will play Tamara Korpatsch. Second seed Elena Rybakina has a match against Lois Boisson.
For the men’s singles, Casper Ruud, seeded 11th, will compete against Hubert Hurkacz. Eighth seed Daniil Medvedev is drawn against Marin Cilic. Roberto Bautista Agut will face Joao Fonseca, seeded 24th. Wildcard entry Stan Wawrinka is scheduled to play Matteo Berrettini, and second seed Alexander Zverev will meet Alexander Blockx.
The tournament is set to feature a range of compelling matches across both the men’s and women’s draws.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
As News-UK's Sports News Writer, Oscar Pennington reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He built a reputation for sharp explainer pieces on regional sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Oscar lives in Nottingham, where he follows the pro golf tour and amateur boxing. “Context is what turns a result into a story.”
