Serena Williams will play Australia’s Maya Joint, the world No 53, in the first round of Wimbledon as the seven-time champion returns to the Championships and singles action for the first time in four years.
Williams, 44, lost in the first round to Harmony Tan on her last Wimbledon appearance in 2022 and has made a stunning comeback to the sport this month, receiving a wildcard into the doubles with her sister Venus Williams and, sensationally, into the singles as well.
Emma Raducanu faces a nightmare draw if she is fit to play after a late injury scare, with a third-round match against top seed Aryna Sabalenka on the cards - a rematch of their thrilling clash in the same round last year.
Raducanu has been drawn against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic in the first round, with a second-round clash against either compatriot Harriet Dart or former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko awaiting her if she wins.
On the men’s side, reigning champion Jannik Sinner returns as the top seed - with Carlos Alcaraz absent due to injury - and will face Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic as he begins his title defence.
Seventh seed Novak Djokovic is a possible semi-final opponent for the Italian and faces China's Yibing Wu in an ideal start to his campaign - but the unseeded Jack Draper, now with Andy Murray in his corner, has been handed a nightmare opening round against sixth seed Taylor Fritz, who reached the semi-finals last year.
Follow updates from the Wimbledon draw, below
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Wimbledon draw LIVE: Latest updates from singles draw
- Serena Williams will play Australia’s Maya Joint, the world No 53, in the first round of Wimbledon
- Seven-time Wimbledon champion making return to singles at age of 44
- Emma Raducanu faces third-round rematch with top seed Aryna Sabalenka after thriller last year
- Raducanu misses training as Wimbledon participation thrown into doubt
- Britain's Jack Draper to play sixth seed Taylor Fritz in blockbuster first-round
- There are 21 British players taking their place in men's and women's singles draw
Novak Djokovic's potential path to 25th grand slam title
14:55 , Jamie BraidwoodR1: vs Wu
R2: vs Tsitsipas
R3: vs Rinderknech (25)
R4: vs Rublev (12) / Fonseca (24)
QF: vs Auger-Aliassime (3) / Norrie (26) / Tien (16)
SF: Jannik Sinner (1)
F: Alexander Zverev (2), Ben Shelton (4), Taylor Fritz (6)
Tough draw for Aryna Sabalenka? Potential path
13:55 , Jamie BraidwoodR1: Kostovic (Q)
R2: Oliynykova
R3: Raducanu (30)
R4: Osaka (14)
QF: Andreeva (5)
SF: Pegula (4) / Gauff (7)
F: Rybakina (2) / Swiatek (3) / Anisimova (6)
Serena Williams returns, a real first-round blockbuster, and a clash of two favourites
12:55 , Jamie BraidwoodSerena Williams will make her singles comeback against Maya Joint, while there was a gasp during the Wimbledon ceremony as Taylor Fritz was drawn against Britain’s Jack Draper
These are our picks of the draw.
Wimbledon matches to watch: Serena Williams returns, a first-round blockbuster
Wimbledon first-round matches to watch: Hannah Klugman v Barbora Krejcikova
12:35 , Jamie BraidwoodSeveral of the British wildcards have been handed tough draws, but perhaps the pick of them all is Hannah Klugman, who will face 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova in just her second appearance at Wimbledon.
The 17-year-old Klugman is widely regarded as one of Britain’s most promising young hopefuls, and the Wimbledon native has been given a wildcard to her home tournament for the second time. Her rise began when she won the prestigious Orange Bowl trophy, a major tournament for under-18s, in 2023.
One of her opponents on the way to victory was American teenager Iva Jovic, who is now ranked 17th in the world. Klugman’s progress since then has been slower – she is currently the world No 412 – but she claimed a brilliant first WTA Tour win only 10 days ago in Nottingham, which she entered as a lucky loser, beating compatriot Harriet Dart in straight sets in the first round.
That win will boost her confidence on the surface heading to her home slam, while she can swing freely as the total underdog against Czech Krejcikova. The two-time major winner had an indifferent start to 2026 but appears to be coming into form at just the right time, reaching the final in s’Hertogenbosch – albeit then withdrawing with illness.
Wimbledon first-round matches to watch: Iga Swiatek v Taylor Townsend
12:15 , Jamie BraidwoodDefending champion Iga Swiatek has been handed a tricky start to her title defence: a first career meeting with American Taylor Townsend.
A lot has changed in the Pole’s camp since she won a maiden Wimbledon title last year, with Francisco Roig – former coach of Rafael Nadal, Matteo Berrettini, and, for a split second, Emma Raducanu – now in her corner.
Her on-court issues – particularly on serve – over the last couple of seasons haven’t gone away, and a loss in Bad Homburg to Emma Navarro means she arrives at SW19 having played just one grass-court match before beginning her title defence. But she bounced back from a poor (by her own standards) French Open last year to win a major title on what had hitherto been her worst surface, so anything is possible.
First she’ll have to get past Townsend, an unfancied opponent on paper who could certainly cause her problems. The world No 81 has had a mixed season so far, failing to get past the opening round in singles at either the Australian or French Open.
But she is fresh from winning the women’s doubles title at Roland-Garros and could be overdue a breakthrough at Wimbledon, where she has never gone beyond the second round.
Wimbledon first-round matches to watch: Jack Draper v Taylor Fritz
11:55 , Jamie BraidwoodEverything about this screams blockbuster. It like it should be a grand slam semi-final, between two players who have been ranked inside the world’s top five as recently as last year, but it’s taking place in the first round.
Jack Draper, of course, is on the comeback trail. Last year, the Briton entered Wimbledon as the fourth seed. This time, he’s not just unseeded but ranked 160th in the world, after a nightmare year of injury set-backs. Whether the 24-year-old’s body can stand up to a best-of-five match so soon into his latest comeback, given persistent injury issues, remains a huge unknown.
But Draper’s belief is growing, and he will relish the opportunity of stepping onto Centre Court and the big stage in front of his home fans after so spending so long on the sidelines. Draper’s confidence has been picked up by the arrival of a new face in his corner - none other than two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. With the backing of his idol, Draper can be dangerous.
Fritz, though, has found form on the grass after skipping most of the clay-court season due to a persistent knee injury. The American reached the Wimbledon semi-finals only last year, and it required an inspired Carlos Alcaraz to subdue him, and he has since reached back-to-back finals at Stuttgart and Halle -which included an impressive win over top seed Alexander Zverev.
Fritz and Draper could have met at this week’s Eastbourne, but the 28-year-old American pulled out on the eve of the warm-up event citing a back injury. It made sense: as Fritz, on this form, has a chance of winning Wimbledon if he can replicate his grass-court form. One thing is for sure, though, this is as tough as an opening draw as either player could have asked for.
Wimbledon first-round matches to watch: Stan Wawrinka v Matteo Berretinni
11:35 , Jamie BraidwoodOne of the most eye-catching of these first-round draws. Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka has been given a wildcard entry into his final Championships as he continues his farewell tour before retiring at the end of the year.
The four-time major finalist has been drawn against one of the most dangerous unseeded players: former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 showpiece. It’s a clash between two fan favourites, and two titans of the sport who have both in latter years been ravaged by injury and bad luck (in Berrettini’s case) and simply the passage of time (in Wawrinka’s).
After years of misfortune Berrettini appeared back to his best at the French Open, reaching the quarter-finals on his first appearance at the tournament in five years, but retired with a hip problem as he trailed a set and 5-2 down.
The 30-year-old has not played since then but if he has managed to shake off that injury he will be a difficult opponent for anyone on a surface which suits his huge serve perfectly, and on which he has unfinished business after that lone Wimbledon final appearance. Against the 41-year-old Wawrinka it may simply be a case of whose body holds up better in what is sure to be an entertaining clash.
Wimbledon first-round matches to watch: Serena Williams v Maya Joint
11:15 , Jamie BraidwoodSerena Williams’ first-round match at Wimbledon was also going to be one to watch, whoever the 44-year-old was drawn next to ahead of her first singles match in four years. Williams could have played anyone in the women’s draw, so in Australia’s Maya Joint, the American has perhaps landed a forgiving opening opponent.
We should remember, of course, that Williams lost her last match at Wimbledon to the virtually unknown Harmony Tan, then ranked 115th in the world. Even with two matches in doubles under her belt, there is going to be a lot of rust - and unknowns - when Williams steps back onto Centre Court. Given the unprecedented nature of her comeback, Williams will still be a huge underdog against Joint, the world No 53.
That’s not to say it’s not a winnable match for Williams, or a daunting prospect for the 20-year-old Joint. After all, tennis history will tower over the Australian when the players step onto court. Williams is the greatest women’s player of all time, with 23 grand slam titles and seven Wimbledon crowns. Joint may have won a WTA title on grass at Eastbourne, but she has only progressed past the first-round of a grand slam twice. It’s going to be the biggest match of Joint’s career by some distance.
That can play into Williams’ hands. Everything about this match will be compelling, from the show of Williams’ return, to the fact that there will be a 24-year age gap between the players.
What does this mean for Wimbledon order of play?
11:02 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner will open play on Monday on Centre Court. Novak Djokovic and Emma Raducanu will also be in action on the opening day - which will feature the top half of both draws.
Then, on Tuesday, Iga Swiatek will open play on Centre Court, followed by Serena Williams as she plays Maya Joint. Jack Draper, who is in the bottom half of the men’s draw, will also be in action against Taylor Fritz.
Wimbledon draw: First-round matches for British men
10:54 , Jamie BraidwoodCameron Norrie (26) v Michael Zheng
Shintaro Mochizuki v Max Basing
Brandon Nakashima (28) v Jack Pinnington Jones (WC)
Felix Gill (WC) v Rafael Jodar (23)
Arthur Rinderknech (25) v Oliver Tarvet
Karen Khachanov (19) v Billy Harris
Jakub Mensik (15) v Toby Samuel
Damir Dzumhur v Arthur Fery
Taylor Fritz (6) v Jack Draper
Alex Michelsen v Jacob Fearnley (WC)
Vit Kropiva v Jan Choinski
Valentin Royer v Harry Wendelken (WC)
JACK DRAPER V TAYLOR FRITZ
10:45 , Jamie BraidwoodWOW that is a tough draw for Jack Draper. He gets Taylor Fritz, the sixth seed and last year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist! 🍿
Fritz is coming into Wimbledon in serious form, too, picking up wins on the grass. Draper, meanwhile, is still making his comeback from injury.
That will almost certainly be on Centre Court on Tuesday, with Andy Murray in his corner.
That also drew a gasp from the draw room. Fritz has made finals at Stuttgart and Halle on the grass, and pulled out of Eastbourne because he clearly likes his chances at Wimbledon....
What an opportunity for Draper, though.
Novak Djokovic to play China's Yibing Wu
10:43 , Jamie BraidwoodA solid opening draw for Novak Djokovic, but he could play Stefanos Tsitsipas in round two! They have contested two grand slam finals, at the French Open and the Australian Open in 2023.
Another British qualifier gets a seed: Billy Harris is drawn against 19th seed Karen Khachanov, who reached the quarter-finals last year.
British qualifier Toby Samuel now gets 15th Jakub Mensik, the semi-finalist from the French Open. This is a tough draw for British men so far!
Daniil Medvedev v Marin Cilic in round one!
10:37 , Jamie BraidwoodA battle of former grand slam champions! Cilic beat Jack Draper last year and the veteran is still dangerous.
Cameron Norrie will play 22-year-old qualifier Michael Zheng, which I think is quite tough. Zheng is super talented, and got the second round of the Australian Open this year.
Zheng is not even pro yet. He’s still a senior at college in the USA.
Oliver Tarvet, another British qualifier, faces a seeded player. He will play Arthur Rinderknech, the 25th seed.
Continuing the men's draw: Unseeded players are drawn
10:36 , Jamie BraidwoodThe unseeded players are starting to be drawn.
Cracker of a draw for Great Britian’s Max Basing. He will play another qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, the world No 150.
Felix Gill will play Rafael Jodar, the 23rd seed.
Continuing the men's draw
10:34 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner could play Ignacio Buse, the 31st seed, in round three; then possibly Italy’s Luciano Darderi or Spanish rising star Rafael Jodar in round four.
Cameron Norrie would have to face third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime if they get to round three. That’s a good draw, though. I think Norrie could win that.
Novak Djokovic could play France’s Arthur Rinderknech, the 25th seed who knocked out Alexander Zverev last year, in round three.
Onto the men's draw: Here's the QF line-up based on seeding
10:30 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic falls into the same half as Jannik Sinner. That’s a potential semi-final.It’s a very nice draw for Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, who avoid the big two and land in the same half as Alexander Zverev, the French Open champion.
[1] Jannik Sinner v [8] Daniil Medvedev
[3] Felix Auger-Aliassime v [7] Novak Djokovic
[5] Alex de Minaur v [4] Ben Shelton
[6] Taylor Fritz v [2] Alexander Zverev
Women's draw: First-round opponents for the Brits
10:28 , Jamie BraidwoodWC Mika Stojsavljevic v Belinda Bencic (11)
Fran Jones v Diane Parry
Emma Raducanu (30) v Antonia Ruzic
WC Harriet Dart v Jelena Ostapenko
Alicia Parks v Alicia Dudeney (WC)
Barbora Krejcikova v Hannah Klugman (WC)
Irina-Camelia Begu v Katie Swan (WC)
Katie Boulter v Tyra Grant
Mimi Xu vs Daria Kasatkina
Let's get carried away: Who could Williams play if she wins?
10:22 , Jamie BraidwoodIf Serena Williams beats Maya Joint, she could feasibly play 29th seed Alexandra Eala, the in-form star from the Philippines in the second round. Eala, 21, will play Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa in round two.
A round further on, Iga Swiatek is a possible opponent in round three! Swiatek, the defending champion, will open Centre Court against Taylor Townsend.
That’s a compelling section of the draw.
Serena Williams will play Maya Joint at Wimbledon
10:17 , Jamie BraidwoodSerena Williams will play Australia’s Maya Joint, the world No 53, in the first round of Wimbledon.
Joint, 20, is making her third appearance at Wimbledon and is yet to advance past the first round.
As draws go, that’s pretty good for the 44-year-old Williams. Winnable? You would have to think so.
For Joint, that will undoubtedly be the biggest match/occasion of her life.
Serena Williams is in Iga Swiatek's side of the draw
10:16 , Jamie BraidwoodAs we await her opponent, we at least know that Serena Williams will make her comeback on Tuesday. That’s because Iga Swiatek will open Centre Court on the second day.
10:14 , Jamie BraidwoodBritish wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic gets Belinda Bencic, the 11th seed. That’s a tough draw for the 17-year-old.
Fran Jones will play France’s Dianne Parry. That could be winnable.
Onto the bottom half of the draw
10:12 , Jamie BraidwoodWe’ll have a full recap of all the best first-round matches after the draw. At the moment, there are simply too many to keep track of.
We’re into the bottom half, and are still awaiting Serena Williams.
Emma Raducanu will play Croatia’s Antonia Ružić in the first round
10:08 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu will play Croatia’s Antonia Ružić in the first round.
Jelena Ostapenko v Harriet Dart is an eye-catcher.
And the winner of Raducanu-Ruzic would play either Ostapenko-Dart.
Then it’s probably going to be Aryna Sabalenka, who opens against qualifier Teodora Kostović.
Time for Serena Williams to learn draw...
10:07 , Jamie BraidwoodTime for the unseeded players... which includes Serena Williams.
Emma Raducanu could face Aryna Sabalenka rematch!
10:06 , Jamie BraidwoodWould you believe it. Another nightmare draw for Emma Raducanu, if she plays. If fit, and Raducanu gets through to the third round, she would likely play world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Raducanu lost to Sabalenka in a thriller in the third round last year. What were the odds on a repeat!
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk in same section
10:05 , Jamie BraidwoodUkraine's Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk would play each other if they get through to the last-16. That’s a tough section, with Iga Swiatek also in that quarter.
Defending champion Iga Swiatek on Elena Rybakina's side of the draw
10:04 , Jamie BraidwoodAs third seed, Iga Swiatek avoids being on the same side as Aryna Sabalenka. She lands on the same half as former champion Elena Rybakina. Amanda Anisimova falls into the same half as Swiatek, and we could get a meeting between Sabalenka and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva by as early as the quarter-finals!
Possible QFs based on seeding
[1] Aryna Sabalenka v [5] Mirra Andreeva
[4] Jessica Pegula v [7] Coco Gauff
[8] Elina Svitolina v [3] Iga Swiatek
[2] Elena Rybakina v [6] Amanda Anisimova
Wimbledon draw underway!
10:01 , Jamie BraidwoodRoll the titles. The Wimbledon singles draws will get underway in the next few minutes, led by the women’s singles. We’ll start with the seeded players.
Meet the 21 British players at Wimbledon: ‘It’s been a dream since I started playing’
09:59 , Jamie BraidwoodFrom grand slam champions to underdogs ranked outside the world’s top 300, these are the home players who will be taking to the grass at SW19 in the singles draws
Meet the 21 British players at Wimbledon: ‘It’s been a dream since I started playing’
Wimbledon 2026 draw: Women's seeds
09:50 , Jamie BraidwoodSeeded
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Elena Rybakina (Kaz)
- Iga Swiatek (Pol)
- Jessica Pegula (USA)
- Mirra Andreeva
- Amanda Anisimova (USA)
- Coco Gauff (USA)
- Elina Svitolina (Ukr)
- Linda Noskova (Cze)
- Karolina Muchova (Cze)
- Belinda Bencic (Swi)
- Marta Kostyuk (Ukr)
- Jasmine Paolini (Ita)
- Naomi Osaka (Jpn)
- Diana Shnaider
- Iva Jovic (USA)
- Sorana Cirstea (Rom)
- Ekaterina Alexandrova
- Anna Kalinskaya
- Maja Chwalinska (Pol)
- Marie Bouzkova (Cze)
- Leylah Fernandez (Can)
- Emma Navarro (USA)
- Clara Tauson (Den)
- Elise Mertens (Bel)
- Madison Keys (USA)
- Anastasia Potapova (Aut)
- Ann Li (USA)
- Alexandra Eala (Phi)
- Emma Raducanu (Gbr)
- Donna Vekic (Cro)
- Katerina Siniakova (Cze)
Wimbledon 2026 draw: Men's seeds
09:45 , Jamie BraidwoodSeeded
- Jannik Sinner (Ita)
- Alexander Zverev (Ger)
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (Can)
- Ben Shelton (USA)
- Alex de Minaur (Aus)
- Taylor Fritz (USA)
- Novak Djokovic (Ser)
- Daniil Medvedev
- Flavio Cobolli (Ita)
- Alexander Bublik (Kaz)
- Casper Ruud (Nor)
- Andrey Rublev
- Jiri Lehecka (Cze)
- Luciano Darderi (Ita)
- Jakub Mensik (Cze)
- Learner Tien (USA)
- Frances Tiafoe (USA)
- Francisco Cerundolo (Arg)
- Karen Khachanov
- Arthur Fils (Fra)
- Tommy Paul (USA)
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spa)
- Rafael Jodar (Spa)
- Joao Fonseca (Bra)
- Arthur Rinderknech (Fra)
- Cameron Norrie (Gbr)
- Ugo Humbert (Fra)
- Brandon Nakashima (USA)
- Tomas Etcheverry (Arg)
- Alejandro Tabilo (Chi)
- Ignacio Buse (Per)
- Matteo Arnaldi (Ita)
Stan Wawrinka to make Wimbledon farewell as Grigor Dimitrov returns
09:38 , Jamie BraidwoodThe further two wildcards in the men’s draw were given to three-time grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who will be retiring at the end of the season so is appearing at Wimbledon for the last time, as well as Grigor Dimitrov.
Dimitrov led Jannik Sinner by two sets in last year’s quarter-finals, only to suffer a devastating injury that forced him to retire from the match. Sidelined for months, his ranking plummeted and he has so far been unable to recover. The chance to enter the Wimbledon draw is a boost to his chances of doing that.
Wimbledon draw: Three British men through from qualifying
09:28 , Jamie BraidwoodMax Basing will go from losing in pre-qualifying to making his Wimbledon debut on Monday after the world No 331 sealed his place in a grand slam main draw for the first time.
Basing was joined in the Wimbledon draw by Oliver Tarvet and Billy Harris, who also won their final-round qualifying matches in Roehampton on Thursday.
Tarvet, who faced Carlos Alcaraz in the second round last season, defeated Greece's Stefanos Sakellaridis in straight sets while Harris came from a set down to beat China's Zhou Yi to reach the main draw for the third year in a row.
- Max Basing (GBR)
- Billy Harris (GBR)
- Oliver Tarvet (GBR)
- Tristan Boyer
- Jaime Faria
- Hugo Gaston
- Vilius Gaubas
- Kyrian Jacquet
- Kwon Soon-woo
- Mackenzie McDonald
- Nicolas Mejía
- Shintaro Mochizuki
- Roman Safiullin
- Dane Sweeny
- Otto Virtanen
- Michael Zheng
Max Basing, world No 331, qualifies for Wimbledon after ‘week of my life’
Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper lead British men in the draw
09:13 , Jamie BraidwoodSo often the last Brit standing at grand slams, Cameron Norrie retired from his first-round match at the French Open, for just the second time in his professional career, while suffering with a rib injury, but returned to Queen’s and is set to be fit for Wimbledon. A former semi-finalist at SW19, Norrie, 30, returns as a seed after almost falling outside of the top-100 last year, finding form late in the season as he beat No 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Jack Draper, meanwhile, Was seeded fourth at Wimbledon 12 months ago after winning the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells but returns after a year of injury hell ranked outside the top 100. Struggles with an arm injury were followed by a knee injury, meaning the 24-year-old has barely played since last year’s second-round exit to Marin Cilic. But Draper is back with a legend in his corner: new coach Andy Murray.
As well as German-born Jan Choinski, an additional six British men have received wildcards into the men’s draw. They are: Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel, Harry Wendelken.
Novak Djokovic’s best chance to win a 25th grand slam?
08:58 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic’s last three Wimbledon defeats have come to either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, which makes Alcaraz’s absence due to a wrist injury all the more important for the 39-year-old. Djokovic lost in the third round of the French Open to rising star Joao Fonseca, so he is rested ahead of Wimbledon. And he also knows how to play on grass better than anyone, even if defending champion Sinner remains the player to beat.
As always, much depends on the draw. As seventh seed, Djokovic will be handed a collision course with one of the top four ahead of the quarter-finals. And whether that play is Sinner or French Open, rather than Felix Auger-Aliassime or Ben Shelton, could be decisive. Djokovic would also be wary of being drawn with a young gun early on, whether that’s Fonseca again or someone like Jakub Mensik.
Wimbledon men’s draw: What to watch for
08:43 , Jamie BraidwoodAs always, where Novak Djokovic lands in the draw will be fascinating. As seventh seed, he could be drawn to face defending champion Jannik Sinner as early as the quarter-finals. After excellent performances at the French Open, all eyes will be on rising stars Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca as they enter seeded 23rd and 24th respectively. Former world No 4 Jack Draper could be a dangerous floater as the popular Briton returns alongside new coach Andy Murray, while former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini is also unseeded.
Wimbledon women’s draw: What to watch for
08:30 , Jamie BraidwoodEveryone will be desperate to see who Serena Williams plays in her first singles match in four years. She could play anyone, from world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka down to a fellow wildcard like Britain’s Katie Swan.
Defending champion Iga Swiatek will hope for a good draw when she opens play on Centre Court on Tuesday - perhaps she will land in the same quarter as last year’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova, who Swiatek defeated 6-0 6-0.
As for dangerous floaters, as well as Williams, recent Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova returns as an unseeded player, although her compatriot and fellow former winner Marketa Vondrousova is out after receiving a four-year ban for refusing a doping test.
Women’s draw: The qualifiers
08:18 , Jamie BraidwoodBianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, was one of the 16 players to battle into the Wimbledon draw via qualifying on Thursday.
- Bianca Andreescu
- Mariam Bolkvadze
- Kayla Day
- Anastasia Gasanova
- Lina Gjorcheska
- Tyra Caterina Grant
- Léolia Jeanjean
- Alina Korneeva
- Teodora Kostović
- Ashlyn Krueger
- Polina Kudermetova
- Claire Liu
- Robin Montgomery
- Mananchaya Sawangkaew
- Iryna Shymanovich
- Maria Timofeeva
Emma Raducanu seeded ahead of Wimbledon draw
07:55 , Jamie BraidwoodDespite a difficult season, Emma Raducanu found some form after returning to grass and reached just her third career final at Queen’s Club. While the British No 1 lost in straight sets to Donna Vekic, Raducanu’s run was enough to enter the draw as the 30th seed. That means she won’t play another seed until the third round, but could play one of the world’s top eight if they both get through their first two matches. Last year, Raducanu lost to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thriller on Centre Court.
Emma Raducanu misses training as Wimbledon participation thrown into doubt
07:39 , Flo CliffordEmma Raducanu’s participation at Wimbledon has been thrown into doubt after the British No 1 was reportedly spotted at the All England Club wearing an orthopaedic boot.
Clay reported that the British No 1 left Aorangi Park, the Wimbledon practice complex, on Wednesday evening wearing a boot on her right leg, while she did not train there when she had been scheduled to at midday on Thursday.
Thomas Houchin, one of her representatives, told Clay: “Emma is absolutely fine. She will play tomorrow”, but her use of the boot just five days before her home grand slam begins has sparked concern.
Emma Raducanu misses training to spark Wimbledon injury fears
Six British women in Wimbledon draw as wildcards
07:28 , Jamie BraidwoodAmong the six British women to receive wildcards includes the 2024 US Open girls’ champion Mika Stojsavljevic and the highly-rated Hannah Klugman, who became the first British woman to win the prestigious Orange Bowl title as a 14-year-old a few years ago. Both return to Wimbledon at the age of 17 ahead of their second appearance in the main draw.
- Harriet Dart (GBR)
- Alicia Dudeney (GBR)
- Hannah Klugman (GBR)
- Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR)
- Katie Swan (GBR)
- Mimi Xu (GBR)
Serena Williams takes wildcard alongside French Open finalist
07:10 , Jamie BraidwoodThe French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska is in the very rare position of being both a wildcard and seed in the Wimbledon draw.
The Polish player reached the Roland Garros final as a qualifier, despite being ranked outside of the world’s top 100.
That meant she did not make the cut-off to enter Wimbledon directly when the lists were confirmed a few weeks ago.
However, the All England Club opted to reward Chwalinska with a wildcard spot, but she’s the 20th seed as well.
Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon, four years on
07:05 , Jamie BraidwoodSerena Williams has explained that she wanted to return to tennis to play in front of both of her daughters, but banishing the memories of her last appearance at Wimbledon in 2022 could also be another source of motivation.
Then, Williams played her first match in over a year as she faced the virtually unknown Harmony Tan on Centre Court. But Williams lost to the French player, letting a 4-0 lead slip in the match tiebreak in a 7-5 1-6 7-6 defeat.
Williams showed what she could still do a few weeks later when she reached the third round of the US Open, knocking out the second seed Anett Kontaveit.
Serena Williams receives final Wimbledon wildcard to confirm singles return
What time is the draw?
07:01 , Jamie BraidwoodThe draw for the men’s and women’s singles at Wimbledon will take place at 10am BST.
Good morning and welcome
07:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe Wimbledon draw will be revealed this morning and it’s fair to say all eyes are on one player: Serena Williams. The 44-year-old will be making her comeback to singles for the first time since 2022 in a stunning comeback, having played two doubles matches since returning to the sport earlier this month. Who will the 23-time grand slam champion, and seven-time Wimbledon winner, play in her first match? And could it be one of the top players in the world?
