Serena Williams has been awarded a wildcard into the Wimbledon women's singles draw, paving the way for the American tennis legend's return to Grand Slam competition.
On June 13, the All England Club announced that the 44-year-old, who recently returned to competitive play after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, is the eighth and final wildcard recipient for the women's singles event.
Wildcards are issued by tournament organizers to players whose rankings do not automatically qualify them for the main draw, and are typically reserved for home-country players, past champions with storied careers, or stars returning from injury.
Williams won the Wimbledon women's singles title seven times, most recently in 2016, before stepping away from the sport in 2022.
Her Grand Slam comeback was confirmed when she accepted a wildcard to play women's doubles alongside her sister Venus. The sisters have won six Wimbledon women's doubles titles between 2000 and 2016, tying the all-time record.
Williams first appeared at Wimbledon in 1998, reaching the third round of the singles draw.
The 44-year-old returned to competitive tennis at the Queen's Club Championships, where she played her first match alongside Canadian doubles partner Victoria Mboko on June 9. The pair advanced to the quarterfinals before Mboko withdrew due to injury.
Williams also competed at the Berlin Open last week, partnering with Czech player Karolina Muchova, but lost in the round of 16.
She is widely regarded as the greatest female player of the Open era, with 37 Grand Slam titles and 96 WTA titles.
Williams stepped away from the sport after the 2022 US Open, saying she would 'evolve away from tennis,' though she never formally announced her retirement.
The mother of two announced her return on June 2 via a social media post, stunning the tennis world and receiving a warm welcome from current and former players.
