Serena Williams' Wimbledon Return Ends In Heartbreak; Maya Joint Spoils Fairytale Comeback

Published 1 July 2026 · sports

Serena Williams' Wimbledon Return Ends In Heartbreak; Maya Joint Spoils Fairytale Comeback Published By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 06:28 IST Serena Williams' first Wimbledon

Serena Williams' Wimbledon Return Ends In Heartbreak; Maya Joint Spoils Fairytale Comeback Published By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 06:28 IST Serena Williams' first Wimbledon singles match in four years ended in heartbreak as Maya Joint prevailed in three sets. Rapid Read Serena Williams at Wimbledon (AP) For two hours, Centre Court dared to believe. Every booming serve, every clenched fist and every trademark roar felt like a reminder of why Serena Williams once ruled Wimbledon. But while nostalgia filled the air, Maya Joint ensured history would not be rewritten as the Australian youngster defeated the seven-time champion 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 in a gripping first-round contest on Tuesday. It was Serena’s first Wimbledon singles match in four years and her first Grand Slam singles appearance since the 2022 US Open, where she had seemingly drawn the curtain on one of the greatest careers in tennis history. Four years later, she was back. The ending, however, was not the fairytale many had hoped for.

Centre Court Welcomes Back a Legend The 44-year-old had stunned the tennis world by ending her retirement earlier this month, inspired by the chance to play in front of her daughters, Olympia and Adira. After warm-up events at Queen’s Club and Berlin, she accepted a Wimbledon wildcard and returned to the tournament where she has lifted the trophy seven times. The reception was exactly what one would expect for one of the sport’s greatest icons. Serena walked onto Centre Court wearing headphones, greeted by a standing ovation as flashes from camera phones lit up the arena. Her family, including husband Alexis Ohanian and sister Venus, watched from the players’ box. “I never expected to be here," Serena later said in a brief statement after opting to skip her media duties. “It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything." Joint Refuses to Play the Supporting Role If the occasion intimidated Joint, she hid it brilliantly.

The 20-year-old Australian, ranked World No. 87, was born in 2006 –by which time Serena had already won seven Grand Slam singles titles. Yet she showed remarkable composure to break late in the opening set before serving it out with confidence. Serena looked destined for a straight-sets exit after falling behind early in the second, but the competitive fire that defined her career resurfaced. She broke back with a stunning passing shot, saved two match points in a tense tie-break and roared with delight after forcing a deciding set. The crowd sensed something special. One Last Fight, But Not One Last Miracle Serena even earned the first break of the final set, briefly reviving hopes of a famous comeback. But Joint never panicked. The Australian immediately responded with back-to-back breaks, weathered the pressure and eventually closed out the biggest win of her career after two hours and 22 minutes. A frustrated Serena could only watch as her final forehand drifted long, ending a comeback that had captivated the sporting world.