Serena Williams' Wimbledon Comeback Ends in 3 Set Battle, Says She 'Enjoyed the Moment'

Serena Williams may not have marked her long awaited return with a victory, but the 23 time Grand Slam champion left Centre Court with the admiration of thousands after producing a spirited performance in her first singles match in nearly four years at Wimbledon .

The 44 year old American fought bravely before going down 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 to Australia's Maya Joint , who at just 20 years old is less than half Williams' age. Despite the defeat, the seven time Wimbledon singles champion said simply being back on one of her favourite stages was a victory in itself.

"It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here," Williams said in a statement released by the tournament. "The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything."

The atmosphere reflected the occasion. Fans erupted even before Williams stepped onto Centre Court, welcoming the tennis legend with a standing ovation. Supporters waved "Welcome Back" signs, while one fan wore a T-shirt declaring her the "Unstoppable Queen."

Although she had recently returned to competition in doubles, this was Williams' first singles appearance since the 2022 US Open . She showed flashes of the power that made her one of the greatest players in history, firing serves at 122 mph and producing trademark winners from the baseline. However, her movement was understandably limited after such a lengthy absence.

Maya Joint , currently ranked World No. 87 , stayed composed throughout the contest. She handled Williams' powerful groundstrokes, won the crucial points and secured the biggest victory of her young career after 2 hours and 22 minutes .

"It was pretty crazy," Joint said after the match. "She has such an aura, she's just a legend. I've been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid."

One of the most emotional moments came off the court as Williams' daughters, Olympia and Adira , watched her play singles together for the first time. Williams had earlier revealed that having both daughters off school inspired her decision to make a comeback this summer.

Despite the singles exit, Williams' Wimbledon journey is not over. She is still scheduled to compete in the women's doubles event alongside her sister Venus Williams , with the iconic pair hoping to create more memorable moments together.

Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev , Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina advanced to the second round, while Ben Shelton suffered a surprise five set defeat to Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen .