Serena Williams is set to play in her first Grand Slam since 2022, and the Wimbledon schedule now has its sharpest storyline. The 44-year-old is making a singles comeback after four years away from the sport, with Wimbledon 2026 carrying more weight because of the names back in the field.
Williams is also resuming her doubles pairing with Venus Williams, who is 46. That puts two of the sport’s biggest returning figures into the same tournament week, alongside Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Venus Williams Returns to SW19
Venus said, “It's very special to be here - we have quite a history here. It's nice to be back in 2026”. Her return adds another layer to a schedule already built around marquee names, and it gives Wimbledon a clear attraction beyond the standard title race.
Andy Murray is back at Wimbledon as part of Jack Draper's coaching team. Draper, a former world number four, has had a difficult run for court time over the past year because of a series of injuries, but he reached the Eastbourne semi-finals in his comeback tournament.
Jamie Baker On Summer Sport
Jamie Baker said, “We're always unbelievably excited to be part of an exciting summer of sport”. He added, “Every summer there are always other big events on and I think that does add to the buzz around sport in general.”
He also said, “We do love being part of that.” The tournament sits in a crowded stretch for attention, with the men's football World Cup, the women's T20 cricket World Cup and the British Grand Prix all part of the same summer conversation.
Wimbledon 2026 Pressure
The returning names lift the profile, but the home angle is thinner. The chances of a home player going far into the second week look slim, so the biggest pull is likely to come from Williams, Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff rather than a British run.
That leaves one main unresolved point for readers tracking the Wimbledon schedule: when Williams, Venus Williams, Djokovic and the other highlighted players will actually play. The draw and order of play will decide how quickly the return stories meet the court, and that is where Wimbledon 2026 will shift from anticipation to match-by-match scrutiny.
