Serena Williams and Venus Williams are set to make a notable return to Wimbledon after being awarded a wildcard entry for the women’s doubles event at this year’s Championships.
The American sisters, two of the most decorated players in tennis history, have not been included in the singles wildcard list, although one spot remains to be allocated by organisers.
Serena, 44, recently made a comeback appearance at Queen’s Club, four years after what was widely believed to be her final professional match at the 2022 US Open.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who has lifted seven Wimbledon singles titles among her achievements, is currently competing in doubles at a tournament in Berlin alongside Karolína Muchová as she continues her return to competitive tennis.
Venus Williams, 45, a five-time Wimbledon singles champion, has struggled for form in singles this season, losing all seven of her matches so far. However, she has shown flashes of success in doubles, including a win alongside Britain’s Katie Boulter at the Madrid Open in April.
The sisters’ wildcard entry ensures they will once again feature together on one of tennis’s most iconic stages at the All England Club, adding further intrigue to the doubles draw ahead of the tournament’s start on Monday, 29 June.
High-profile omissions and retirements
Elsewhere in the wildcard announcements, British player Dan Evans has not been granted a place in the men’s singles draw for what will be the final tournament of his career at the age of 36.
Two other notable names are preparing for their final seasons on tour, with three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka receiving a wildcard, while Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov has also been included in the main draw.
French player Maja Chwalińska, who impressed during her run to the French Open final, has been rewarded with a women’s singles wildcard following her strong Roland Garros campaign.
British representation strong across draws
A number of British players have secured automatic entry into the singles competitions due to their rankings, including Cameron Norrie, Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, Jack Draper, Jan Choinski and Francesca Jones.
Further wildcard selections have also strengthened home interest in the tournament. On Tuesday, four British men were awarded wildcards, with additional places expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Men’s singles wildcard recipients include Grigor Dimitrov, Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel and Stan Wawrinka.
In the women’s draw, six wildcard places were awarded to British players, underlining the tournament’s continued emphasis on home participation.
Women’s singles wildcards include Maja Chwalińska, Harriet Dart, Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman, Mika Stojsavljevic, Katie Swan and Mimi Xu.
Selection based on discretion
Wimbledon organisers confirmed that wildcard selections are made at the discretion of the tournament committee, typically based on previous performances at the Championships or to boost British representation in the draw.
As anticipation builds ahead of Wimbledon, the return of Serena and Venus Williams stands out as one of the most high-profile storylines, with the sisters once again set to bring global attention to the doubles competition at SW19.
