American tennis icon Serena Williams made a sensational return to competitive singles action at Wimbledon on Tuesday. The 44-year-old, a 23-time major champion and seven-time Wimbledon winner, returned to the court following a four-year absence after moving away from the sport in 2022.
Despite the fanfare surrounding her comeback, Williams was unable to overcome the first hurdle of the tournament. She was beaten in the opening round by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in an epic three-set match, with a final score of 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3. Williams had not played a professional singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
While the singles return did not end in a storybook win, Williams' time at Wimbledon is not over. After playing two doubles matches prior to the tournament to announce her comeback, she remains in the competition playing doubles alongside her sister, Venus.