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

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).