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Tennis-Williams to face Australia’s Joint in Wimbledon comeback

By Thomson Reuters Jun 26, 2026 | 4:47 AM

LONDON, June 26 (Reuters) – American great Serena Williams will face Australia’s Maya ​Joint in the ‌first round of her Wimbledon comeback.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion will be playing at ‌the ​tournament for the ⁠first time since ⁠2022 having recently returned to the Tour.

Williams, 44, has not played a ​competitive singles match since the 2022 U.S. ⁠Open, after ⁠which she said ​she was “evolving away from tennis”.

Top ​seed Aryna Sabalenka, bidding ‌for her first title at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, begins ⁠against Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic, while defending champion Iga Swiatek ⁠faces ‌American Taylor Townsend.

Third ⁠seed Swiatek was ​drawn ‌in the same half ​as ⁠second seed Elena Rybakina, who opens against Lois Boisson of France.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Hugh ​Lawson)