Serena and Venus Williams awarded Wimbledon wildcard
Serena Williams and Venus Williams are set to reunite on one of tennis’ biggest stages after being handed a Wimbledon wildcard for the women’s doubles competition, reports BritPanorama.
The iconic sisters will return to the All England Club together later this month, adding another remarkable chapter to their legendary careers. Tournament organisers confirmed the American pair have been awarded entry into the doubles draw, ensuring fans will once again see one of the most successful partnerships in tennis history competing at SW19.
The announcement comes just days after Serena made her long-awaited return to professional tennis, having shocked the sporting world by stepping back onto the court at Queen’s Club last week, four years after many believed she had played the final match of her career at the 2022 US Open.
Now the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will continue her comeback at Wimbledon alongside her older sister Venus. Neither Williams sister was included among the initial singles wildcard recipients, although one women’s place remains available and has yet to be confirmed.
Serena is currently competing in Berlin alongside Karolina Muchova as she works on building her match sharpness ahead of Wimbledon. Venus, meanwhile, arrives in London hoping to rediscover her best form after a difficult campaign, having endured a frustrating season and still searching for her first singles victory of the year.
However, there have been encouraging signs in doubles competition. The 45-year-old secured a doubles win alongside British star Katie Boulter at the Madrid Open earlier this season and will now renew her famous partnership with Serena at the Grand Slam where both sisters enjoyed some of their greatest triumphs.
Away from the Williams sisters, Wimbledon organisers also confirmed their singles wildcard selections. Former British No 1 Dan Evans was not awarded a place in the men’s singles draw, despite preparing for what is expected to be the final tournament of his professional career. However, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov both received wildcards.
French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska was rewarded for her impressive Roland Garros campaign with a place in the women’s singles draw. Several British players also benefited from wildcard selections, including Harriet Dart, Hannah Klugman, Katie Swan, and Mimi Xu in the women’s competition, while Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, and Jack Pinnington Jones are among those granted places in the men’s draw.
Wimbledon chiefs noted that wildcard decisions are traditionally based on previous performances at the tournament or opportunities to increase British interest. However, there is little doubt that the biggest talking point from this year’s announcement is the return of Serena and Venus, as they aim for more Wimbledon glory this summer.
With 12 Wimbledon singles titles and six doubles crowns between them, the anticipation surrounding their performance in London is palpable.
