Serena Williams’ Djokovic net worth-era comeback reached Centre Court on Tuesday evening, when the 44-year-old played her first singles match in nearly four years at Wimbledon and lost 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 to Maya Joint. The return came after Williams said the week before that Wimbledon held a wild card for someone like her, and that she should take the chance.
The result ended the first singles appearance in nearly four years with a scoreline that showed how close the middle set became. Williams, who has won seven singles championships at Wimbledon, had opted for singles rather than only doubles with Venus, turning a decision made before Tuesday into an actual match under the roof at Centre Court.
Centre Court after 7:15 p.m.
The match began after 7:15 p.m. with the roof over Centre Court closed, and the lights embedded in the retractable roof flickered on five minutes later. That timing mattered because Wimbledon did not give Williams a separate night session or a special ceremony before play, keeping the focus on the match itself rather than on the return.
Maya Joint was 20, and the final line showed the gap in the deciding set after Williams had pushed the second set to a tiebreak. Williams’ best stretch still produced one set, but the three-set loss leaves the comeback defined by how quickly elite timing can disappear after a long absence, even when the stage is familiar.
Wimbledon and Venus
On Sunday, Williams said, "Not every day Wimbledon holds a wild card for someone" and added, "I can name probably like a handful of people. I happened to be one of those people. I thought I should really take this opportunity." Those words now frame the choice she made before walking out on Tuesday, with the tournament’s tradition-first setup offering no extra runway for sentiment.
Wimbledon’s restraint contrasted with the anticipation around Williams’ return. The match delivered the first answer to the larger question around her summer schedule, and the next possible test sits in the U.S. Open, where she may choose to play in front of home crowds later this summer.
