Serena Williams is going the distance in her singles return at Wimbledon.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion battled back to take the second set in a tiebreaker, showing off some vintage shot-making and serving to force a decisive third set against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint.
Williams, 44, is on Centre Court for her first singles match in nearly four years.
Joint, playing in the most high-profile tilt of her young career, took the first set 6-3 despite some encouraging signs and shots from Williams.
Williams staved off a match point before clinching the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (6).
Serena Williams back on Centre Court in 2026. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/VkaI8qbzmD
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2026
Williams also plans to compete in doubles at the All England Club with older sister Venus later in the week.
Serena Williams, who has only played two doubles matches since announcing her return to the sport earlier in June, has captured seven Wimbledon singles titles in her iconic career. Her last one came in 2016.
She's the second-oldest woman in the Open Era to ever feature in the main draw at Wimbledon, behind only Martina Navratilova.
