London: Serena Williams’ Wimbledon singles comeback ends in first-round loss

By Liam Tremblay — 30 June 2026 — 3 min read

Serena Williams‘ return to singles competition at Wimbledon concluded in the first round, as she was defeated by Maya Joint of Australia. The match, which took place on Tuesday, marked Williams’ first singles appearance in nearly four years, following her participation in the 2022 US Open.

Joint, a 20-year-old Australian, secured the victory in three sets with scores of 6-3, 6-7(6), and 6-3. The contest unfolded on Centre Court under lights, beginning around 7:30 p.m. local time, creating an atmosphere described as having the tension of a final rather than an opening-round match.

Williams, a six-time champion at Wimbledon, showed resilience throughout the match. She faced a deficit of a set and a break, and later a match point in the second-set tiebreak, yet managed to force a decisive third set. The crowd’s reaction when Williams won the second set was notably enthusiastic, suggesting the significance of her continued presence in the match.

Her return to competitive tennis began earlier in the month as a wild-card doubles entry at the Queen’s Club Championships. Partnering with Vicky Mboko, Williams made her first court appearance in 1,375 days. The duo reached the quarterfinals of that tournament before withdrawing due to a knee injury sustained by Mboko, which subsequently prevented Mboko from competing at Wimbledon.

Williams, who turned professional in 1995, has accumulated 23 Grand Slam titles, placing her second in history behind Margaret Court. Her presence at the All England Club, and the anticipation surrounding her return, has been a significant topic in the sport.

Match Dynamics and Joint’s Performance

The match saw moments of strong play from both athletes. Williams’ serve, a key component of her past successes, appeared to maintain much of its power. She held her first service game to love and delivered serves at 123 mph and 121 mph, including an ace. Despite this, her movement in the initial stages of the match was described as somewhat tentative, particularly on grass courts.

Joint, ranked world No. 87, demonstrated composure and self-confidence throughout the encounter. She managed to fend off early break points and secured the first break of the match to take a 5-3 lead in the first set. Joint then held serve to conclude the first set in 36 minutes.

In the second set, Joint broke Williams early with a backhand winner and held her serve to go up 3-1. Williams, despite creating several break point opportunities, struggled to convert them. However, Williams broke back to level the score at 3-3, showcasing her ability to reach a high level of play, though sustaining it proved challenging.

The second set tiebreak was particularly intense. Williams saved a match point and then secured a set point with a 122 mph serve, ultimately winning the tiebreak to force a third set. The crowd’s reaction to Williams winning the second set was described as a roar.

In the deciding set, Williams initially broke serve to lead 2-1, but Joint responded by breaking twice to establish a 5-2 lead. Williams managed to hold serve once more to stay in the match, but Joint ultimately converted her third match point, despite a double fault on her second, to claim the victory.

Looking Ahead

Williams has not publicly discussed her singles plans beyond Wimbledon. Her next scheduled appearance is a doubles match alongside her sister, Venus Williams. The sisters have won six doubles titles together at Wimbledon, and their upcoming match is anticipated to be another significant event.

Despite the loss, Williams’ performance indicated her ability to compete in singles. She mentioned that playing in front of her daughters, Olympia and Adira, was a primary motivation for her return to the court.

Joint, also born in Michigan, is participating in her third Wimbledon main draw. She had previously lost 11 consecutive tour-level matches dating back to January before this victory.

Source: tsn.ca