American tennis great Serena Williams is set to return to Wimbledon after a four-year absence, teaming up once again with her sister Venus Williams after the All England Club awarded the pair a wildcard entry for the women’s doubles draw.
The decision adds one of the most iconic storylines to this year’s Championships, which begin later this month.
Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, has won seven Wimbledon singles titles and also claimed six doubles titles alongside Venus Williams at the All England Club, making them one of the most successful sibling partnerships in tennis history.
The Williams sisters last played together at Wimbledon in 2019, and Serena’s most recent appearance at the tournament came in 2022, when she also entered via wildcard but suffered a first-round defeat against Harmony Tan.
Her return to competitive tennis earlier this month at the Queen’s Club Championships marked a tentative comeback, where she played doubles alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko before an injury forced Mboko to withdraw from Wimbledon contention.
Serena is now preparing for the grass-court Grand Slam by competing in Berlin this week, where she is partnering with Karolína Muchová in doubles action.
Wildcards across the tournament
Wildcards at Wimbledon are typically reserved for players whose rankings do not guarantee direct entry, often awarded to returning stars, injured players, or promising home talent.
Alongside Serena and Venus Williams, several other notable names have also been awarded wildcard entries for this year’s Championships.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka has received a singles wildcard as he continues his farewell season, while former Wimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov has also been included in the draw.
French Open runner-up Maja Chwalińska has been rewarded on the women’s side, while one remaining wildcard slot is expected to be announced soon.
Strong field building for Wimbledon 2026
Organisers still have additional men’s singles wildcard spots to confirm, with players such as Matteo Berrettini, Dan Evans, Nick Kyrgios, and Gaël Monfils reportedly under consideration.
In doubles, British players Katie Boulter and Heather Watson have been awarded a wildcard entry as a pair, adding local interest to the tournament.
Serena and Venus Williams’ return is expected to be one of the biggest talking points of Wimbledon 2026, drawing global attention to a partnership that has defined an era in women’s tennis.
With Serena’s comeback gathering momentum and Venus still competing at the top level, their reunion on the grass courts of the All England Club sets the stage for one of the most anticipated doubles campaigns in recent years.
