Serena Williams aiming to make audacious comeback at Wimbledon

Serena Williams. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Serena Williams aiming to make audacious comeback at Wimbledon

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jun 21, 2026 4:41 PM ET

"The Queen of the Court" is aiming to reclaim her throne at the 2026 edition of Wimbledon (scheduled June 29-July 12 in London).

Wimbledon confirmed Sunday that American tennis standout Serena Williams will play in this year's grass-court tournament on a wild-card entry. She recently returned to the sport by playing doubles at the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club in London, winning her first match with Canadian Victoria Mboko on June 9.

Williams hasn't played in singles since the 2022 U.S. Open. After such a long hiatus, will she stand any chance at tennis' Super Bowl?

How audacious is Serena Williams' Wimbledon comeback?

One of the more recent sports comebacks comparable to Williams' is Philip Rivers' return to the Indianapolis Colts this past NFL season. The eight-time Pro Bowl QB had not played since 2020 before suiting up for Indianapolis again. He went 0-3 in three starts, tossing four touchdown passes and three interceptions.

This is not a drill.@serenawilliams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at #Wimbledon as a wild card. pic.twitter.com/1vHnDEQ4xm
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 21, 2026

Rivers joked he "never ran away from anybody" when discussing his conditioning after returning. Unlike the slow-footed QB, Williams will have to run plenty, though she looked like she had no trouble doing so in her recent doubles matches.

Even still, it's hard to imagine 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams winning her eighth Wimbledon title. She remains the oldest woman to win a major tournament, having done so nearly a decade ago at the 2017 Australian Open (35 years and 4 months).

A competitive women's draw adds to Williams' challenges. The bracket is expected to include 2025 Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, 2026 French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

The odds are clearly stacked against Williams heading into Wimbledon, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't try. She has delivered many thrilling moments in her storied career. Fans who have missed one of the greatest players ever would love to see her provide one more.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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