Friday, July 24, 2026

Serena’s Wimbledon Return Resumes Her Bid for a 24th Slam

  • She hasn’t played in a competitive match since being injured at Wimbledon last year.
  • The 40-year-old will continue her quest to match Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record.
Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

The GOAT is returning to Wimbledon, site of some of her greatest triumphs — and where her tennis career was put on pause.

On Tuesday, Serena Williams received a wild-card spot from the All England Club, setting up her first competitive singles match since being forced to retire from the first round of last year’s Wimbledon with a leg injury.

The 40-year-old Williams — who had earlier hinted that she’ll continue her bid to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles and inch closer toward the $100 million mark for career earnings — will now compete for a top prize of $2.5 million from a record $50.4 million purse.

  • Williams’ $94.5M in career earnings tops the all–time WTA money list.
  • Her 23 GS titles include seven at Wimbledon, in addition to titles at the Australian Open (7), U.S. Open (6), and French Open (3).
  • But due to her layoff, the former World No. 1 has dropped to No. 1,208.

To prepare for Wimbledon (June 27-July 10), Williams will team up with World No. 4 Ons Jabeur in doubles for the LTA’s Rothesay International Eastbourne from June 18-25.

Although she’s coming off a year-long layoff, hasn’t reached the Wimbledon singles final since 2019, and hasn’t won the title since ’16, bookmakers are relatively bullish on her prospects.

Williams still has the sixth-best odds to take this year’s edition (+1800).

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sinner Defeats Zverev at Wimbledon, Claims $4.8M Prize

Sinner won his first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Jul 10, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on day 12 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Jannik Sinner Reclaims Spot in Grand Slam Final to Vie for $4.8M

Sunday’s winner will claim the No. 4 spot on the career earnings list.

The Parity Era of Women’s Tennis Continues at Wimbledon

Karolína Muchová and Linda Nosková meet in the Wimbledon final Saturday.

Tennis Civil War Deepens As Two Groups Claim to Be Real PTPA

Dueling lawsuits have plunged a player advocacy group further into chaos.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Chris Bosh on LeBron’s Next Team, Athlete Contract Taxes, and Returning to Court for Charity

0:00

Featured Today

Tom's Watch Bar

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.
Jun 16, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; France forward Michael Olise (11) controls the ball against Senegal during a Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at New York New Jersey Stadium
July 16, 2026

Where World Cup Stars Go to Customize Their Cleats

The world’s best players turn to a Scottish craftsman for perfect cleats.
July 10, 2026

What the World Cup Means to Erling Haaland’s Tiny Hometown

The tournament’s breakout star is from a rural Norwegian town.
July 10, 2026

Why So Many Media Outlets Are Rushing Into Sports

Sports coverage has ballooned in every corner of media.
Pillow Fight Championship
July 8, 2026

How Obscure Sports Get Mainstream TV Deals

For niche sports, getting on TV often matters more than getting paid.

Jonathan Vaughters Defends Late-Night Tour de France Drug Tests 

“Do you want the appearance of clean, or do you want clean and fair?”
kyle rudolph
July 22, 2026

Former Viking Kyle Rudolph: Private Equity ‘Great’ for the NFL

Private equity makes “these assets a little more liquid.”
July 22, 2026

Jake Paul Responds to Critics: ‘I Brought Boxing to Netflix’

Paul believes the Tyson fight’s Netflix audience will never be matched.
Sponsored

Inside the EY 2026 Sports Engagement Index: The Real Map of American Sports Participation

EY’s latest index explores how shifting U.S. fan behaviors are expanding the definition of sports engagement.
July 21, 2026

Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu Skipping WNBA 3-Point Contest

Only two 2026 WNBA All-Stars are participating.
July 21, 2026

Late-Night Drug Tests Spark Backlash, Intrigue at Tour de France

Riders are pushing back on rare overnight anti-doping tests.
July 20, 2026

Why WNBA Union Won’t Monetize Viral Sophie Cunningham Incident  

Cunningham can still use her own NIL to license the image.