Serena's Back: Wild Card Doubles Her Down at Wimbledon

The tennis world just got a major plot twist. Serena Williams isn’t just returning to Wimbledon to team up with her sister Venus—she’s also stepping back onto the singles court for the first time since 2022, armed with a wild card entry that feels less like a consolation prize and more like an official declaration: she’s fully back.

This isn’t some tentative dip-your-toe-in comeback. Over the last month, Serena’s been methodically rebuilding her competitive muscle through doubles tournaments. She and Victoria Mboko were supposed to make a deeper run at the HSBC Championships before an injury forced a withdrawal, then she and Karolína Muchová fell in the round of 16 at the Berlin Open. Those setbacks could’ve signaled uncertainty, but Serena kept her eyes forward. When asked about a singles return after that Berlin loss, she dodged the question—turns out, she was already planning her answer on the grass courts of the All England Club.

Here’s why this matters: Serena hasn’t played singles at Wimbledon since losing to Harmony Tan in the opening round in 2022, a result that stung. But she arrives at this tournament as a tested veteran with seven of her 23 Grand Slam titles won at Wimbledon, plus six of her 14 doubles Grand Slam crowns (all with Venus). That track record doesn’t disappear. The wild card is official recognition that she’s earned another shot, and she’s taking it with Venus by her side in doubles—a partnership they’re rekindling for the first time since 2022.

The real story here isn’t whether Serena can win titles anymore. It’s that she clearly wanted another chapter at a place where she’s written some of her greatest hits. And on grass, with her sister as her doubles partner, she’s got the stage set for a meaningful return.