Serena Williams to make Wimbledon singles comeback as Jannik Sinner defends title
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Serena Williams to make Wimbledon singles comeback as Jannik Sinner defends title
Jannik Sinner returns to tennis ahead of Wimbledon amid form questions
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Wimbledon 2026 will open on Monday with a historic return and a heavy favourite, as Serena Williams prepares to make her long-awaited singles comeback at the age of 44 and Jannik Sinner bids to defend his title on the grass of the All England Club. The draw, finalised on Friday, pits Williams against 20-year-old Australian qualifier Maya Joint in the first round, while Sinner—still ATP world No 1 despite his shock French Open exit—faces a path that could lead to a second straight Wimbledon crown.
The women’s draw is wide open after Williams’s surprise invitation, the first singles appearance since the 2022 US Open. The American, who has not played a competitive match in nearly four years, will carry the hopes of a global audience when she steps on Centre Court on Monday. “I’m ready to compete,” Williams said in a brief statement released by the tournament. Her presence overshadows the rest of the field, where Elise Mertens and Hanne Vandewinkel must navigate early obstacles including Belgian wildcard Alexander Blockx, who inherited a first-round tie against Alexander Zverev after the draw was made .
On the men’s side, Sinner remains the bookmakers’ favourite despite his five-set collapse to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo in Paris. The Italian arrives in London with a 13-1 record on grass since 2024 and the chance to join an elite group of 13 men who have won Wimbledon more than once in the Open Era . His potential quarter-final showdown with 19-year-old Spanish qualifier Rafa Jódar adds narrative spice; Jódar, ranked 23rd, stunned Zverev in Madrid and will face Felix Gil in his debut.
Zverev, the beaten finalist in Paris, begins against Blockx on No 2 Court, while Novak Djokovic—absent from the draw commentary—will also be in action after accepting a doubles wildcard. The absence of world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz, still recovering from wrist surgery, leaves the draw without its second seed for the first time since 2021.
Chris Evert, the three-time Wimbledon champion, will not be present after announcing a recurrence of ovarian cancer that forces her to postpone chemotherapy. “I had hoped to be in London,” Evert said in a statement released on Friday. “But my health comes first.” Her withdrawal underscores the fragility of the sport’s icons even as its newest stars prepare to write their own chapters .
Coverage begins on Monday across Movistar+ in Spain, with the tournament running until 12 July. The first ball will be struck on a day when history, youth and resilience collide on the manicured lawns of SW19.
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