Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon and makes a stunning return to singles action at the age of 44.
Williams will play Australia’s Maya Joint in her first singles match since the 2022 US Open, having only returned to the sport earlier this month and playing just two doubles matches.
The 23-time grand slam champion and mother of two admitted she will be “nervous” as she makes her long-awaited return, and said she will have “no expectations” when she plays the world No 87.
Elsewhere, wildcard Katie Swan sealed the first win for a British player of this year’s Championships after a devastating opening day on Monday. British wildcard Arthur Fery joined her, after overcoming a spectacular collapse from a furious Damir Dzumhur, and there was also a win for Jacob Fearnley.
Wimbledon has also seen its biggest shock of the tournament so far, with qualifier Otto Virtanen knocking out fourth seed Ben Shelton in a match tiebreak. Virtanen saved match point as he won 11-9 in the decider, and will now play Fery in the second round.
Follow latest scores and updates from Wimbledon, below
SECOND SET! Serena Williams 3-6 7-6 (8-6) Maya Joint
A 122mph ACE from Williams! Now she gets set point! Incredible. How does Joint respond!
She’s close to an ace, but out. A gripping rally… Joint is pushing but Williams holds on… JOINT GOES LONG AND WILLIAMS FORCES A THIRD!
WOW! Match point saved and the 44-year-old is still fighting!
TIEBREAK! Serena Williams 3-6 6-6 (6-6) Maya Joint
Williams finds the first serve… Centre Court holds its breath… Williams powers the forehand winner! Match point saved!
Wow this is exciting.
TIEBREAK! Serena Williams 3-6 6-6 (5-6) Maya Joint
Joint rattles out two quick points after drawing errors from Williams. Back on serve, she finds accuracy. An ace out wide and she moves ahead once more! If Joint loses either of the next two points, Williams will have set point on serve.
Joint gets Willams moving, switching the direction of her groundstrokes. Williams slices into the net. Then she blasts the backhand return wide. Instead, it will be match point to Joint!
TIEBREAK! Serena Williams 3-6 6-6 (3-2) Maya Joint
An error from Williams on the first point, putting a short forehand into the net. But Joint then goes long on the return. Williams returns the favour: long on the forehand. First serves will be crucial for Williams here. She finds one, then powers the forehand winner down the line!
She leads 3-2.
TIEBREAK! Serena Williams 3-6 6-6 Maya Joint
A hold from Joint sends us into a tiebreak. Williams stumbles a little chasing after the Joint winner, directed past her. After that epic last game, this is far simpler for the Australian. An ace out wide is followed by another. Love-hold. TIEBREAK!
HOLD! Serena Williams 3-6 6-5 Maya Joint*
Williams, pushed slightly wide, nets on the forehand. Another break point, Williams is slo close to the line on the second serve, so is Joint on the return. This is gripping, but Joint fires long!
Another deuce…. How Williams would love a big first serve now, but Joint is generous enough to miss the return. On game point, Joint steadies and puts the forehand past a standing Williams.
Williams cracks the backhand winner – now she finds a first serve! Joint goes out, and Williams holds on! Four break points saved, and she’s still fighting! That was just pure grit.
*Serena Williams 3-6 5-5 Maya Joint
Oh no. That’s a bad time to make a double fault from Williams! Joint then steps up and cracks the return, which Williams slumps into the net.
Three break points. Williams saves the first but may be tiring, she can’t find the first serve. Joint squirts a backhand return wide. Another saved.
Another return missed by Joint! Williams is hanging on and gets back to deuce.
Another miss from Joint – this coming while the room for the forehand winner was open.
This would be some escape… Williams thinks the ball from Joint landed long… some of the crowd did too. But no, she nets and Joint hangs on.
*Serena Williams 3-6 5-5 Maya Joint
Joint takes a deep breath, steps up to the baseline, and fires a series of first serves which Williams can’t return. Back level.
Serena Williams 3-6 5-4 Maya Joint*
For the first time in the second set, Williams LEADS. Joint cracks a backhand into the net and Williams has won back-to-back games to edge in front. Huge pressure now on Joint, who must hold serve to stay in this decider.
Oooh this is electric now.
BREAK! *Serena Williams 3-6 4-4 Maya Joint
I wonder how the match would have gone had Williams been this aggressive in the first set. She starts by cracking a backhand return, then following in to put away the volley.
Two errors follow from Williams and she shrieks in frustration, but then she produces another crisp backhand return. It’s followed by an error from Joint and Williams will get another break point chance.
Joint knifes the backhand down the line…. but there’s Williams to put away the volley!
ON SERVE ONCE MORE!
