Serena Williams has admitted she almost turned down the chance to return to Wimbledon singles before convincing herself that the opportunity was simply too special to pass up. The seven-time champion said she had to “talk herself into it” before accepting the All England Club’s final wildcard for this year’s tournament.
The 44-year-old, who had already committed to playing doubles alongside sister Venus Williams, will now make her long-awaited return to singles for the first time since 2022. Speaking ahead of her first-round clash against Australia’s Maya Joint, Serena revealed she spent days debating whether to accept the invitation.
“I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again. This could be it,” Williams told reporters.
“I was like, ‘What’s wrong with me, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you nuts?’ Like you really should do this.
“People live to be an athlete. I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do, what I do best, I suppose. Yeah, I think ultimately I was like that is pretty cool, so I should do it.”
Williams also admitted the decision was far from straightforward, saying she remained uncertain until the final deadline.
“I had until Monday to decide. I think it was like Sunday. I just wasn’t sure up until then.
“Honestly, I’m still not even sure, but we’ll see.”
The 23-time Grand Slam champion will return to Centre Court on Tuesday evening against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, marking her first Wimbledon singles appearance since losing to Harmony Tan in the opening round in 2022.
SERENA’S WIMBLEDON COMEBACK
Williams walked away from professional tennis following the 2022 US Open, famously describing the decision as “evolving” away from the sport rather than retiring. After nearly four years away from singles competition, she returned to the tour earlier this month, first competing in doubles at Queen’s Club before playing again in Berlin.
Her comeback gathered further momentum when Wimbledon awarded her a doubles wildcard alongside sister Venus, before the All England Club handed her its final singles wildcard just days later.
Despite owning one of the greatest records in the tournament’s history with seven Wimbledon singles titles and 23 Grand Slam crowns overall, Williams insisted she is approaching this comeback differently from any other stage of her career.
She acknowledged over the weekend that her expectations have changed, reflecting both the time away from the sport and the unique nature of this latest chapter.
Williams now faces one of the youngest players in the draw in Maya Joint, whom she admitted she has already studied.
“Yeah, actually I know her. I’ve watched some of her videos,” Williams said before adding with a smile: “I’m sure she knows my game.”
Whether this proves to be one final Wimbledon appearance or the beginning of a longer comeback remains to be seen. For Serena, though, accepting the wildcard was about ensuring she never had to wonder what might have happened had she walked away from the opportunity.
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