Serena Williams Returns as Wimbledon 2026 Begins Sport By lines June 28, 2026 Wimbledon 2026 begins Monday at the All England Club with Serena Williams back in the draw. Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon singles for the first time since 2022. Serena Williams Anchors a Star-Heavy Wimbledon Field Wimbledon 2026 runs from Monday, June 29, through the singles finals on Saturday, July 11. Serena Williams received a wild card into the singles draw at age 44. Serena Williams faces Maya Joint, a 20-year-old, in the first round. The All England Club held the 2026 draw on Friday, June 26. Serena Williams owns seven Wimbledon singles titles across the player’s career. Serena Williams last played Wimbledon singles in 2022 before a four-year absence. Williams entered both the singles and doubles draws for the 2026 Championships. Maya Joint meets Serena Williams in the opening round at age 20. Jannik Sinner defends the men’s title after beating Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 final. Iga Swiatek defends the women’s crown and anchors the third quarter of the draw. Aryna Sabalenka enters as the World No. 1 and leads the first quarter. Novak Djokovic chases a record 25th Grand Slam near the player’s 39th birthday. Wimbledon 2026 raised total prize money to 64.2 million pounds, up 20 percent from 2025. The singles champions each earn 3.6 million pounds at the 2026 Championships. Serena Williams adds box-office weight to a field led by Sinner and Sabalenka. The draw placed Sinner and Djokovic in the same half on the men’s side. Serena Williams opens Wimbledon 2026 against Maya Joint in the first round this week. A deep run by Serena Williams could set a collision with the draw’s top seeds. Sinner and Swiatek both carry title defenses into the July 11 finals. Watch whether Serena Williams advances past Maya Joint and how far the wild card goes. Coco Gauff ranks among the women’s contenders alongside Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Jannik Sinner opens the title defense against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round. Carlos Alcaraz pursues a return to the final after the 2025 runner-up finish. The 2026 Championships run across a two-week schedule at the All England Club. Emma Raducanu carries British hopes into Wimbledon 2026 as a home favorite. Iga Swiatek seeks a successful defense after the 2025 Wimbledon title. Aryna Sabalenka leads the WTA rankings entering the 2026 grass-court major. The grass-court major follows Roland Garros on the 2026 tennis calendar. Related Sports Coverage Williams Sisters Reunite for Wimbledon Doubles Run Serena Williams Wins Doubles Match in Grand Return Zverev Wins First Slam, Andreeva Rules Roland Garros Reporting compiled from ESPN, CBS Sports, and CNN.
