Serena saves match point to force third set, but ultimately falls to Joint at Wimbledon

Playing her first singles match in nearly four years, wildcard Serena Williams twice recovered from a break down and saved a match point in the second set tiebreak, but ultimately fell to Australian world No. 87 Maya Joint 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 in their first career meeting in the opening round of Wimbledon.

We’re so proud of you mama – cheering section pic.twitter.com/uwiun4gFfB

— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) June 30, 2026

Former world No. 1 Williams has accomplished virtually everything the sport has to offer, but at 44 years old, her competitive fire still burns. That desire brought her back to the WTA Tour for her 22nd Wimbledon appearance, where she is a seven-time singles champion (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016).

Watching from the stands were Williams’ daughters, Olympia and Adira, alongside their father, Alexis Ohanian. Serena previously revealed that one of the biggest reasons behind her comeback was to give her daughters the chance to see her compete in person. Also supporting her on Center Court were her sister Venus Williams and Venus’ husband, Andrea Preti.

The 20-year-old Joint made the stronger start to the match, breaking serve in the eighth game before serving out the opening set. After twice recovering from a break down in the second set, Williams saved a match point in the tiebreak to force a decider and keep the Center Court crowd on the edge of their seats.

However, Joint, making just her second main draw appearance at Wimbledon, seized control of the deciding set by breaking Williams at love for a 4-2 lead, as a double fault from the 23-time Grand Slam champion helped the Australian get the crucial break.

The Australian later earned her second match point at 5-3, but squandered it with a double fault. She soon created a third opportunity, however, and this time converted it as Williams sent a return long, sealing Joint’s place in the second round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career.

Williams can take positives from a strong performance in which she spent two hours and 25 minutes on court.

Serena Williams returned to singles wearing a custom Nike kit featuring the brand’s Radical AirFlow technology, designed for breathability and cooling.
She’s the first tennis player to wear it in competition, but expect to see a lot more of it on court soon. pic.twitter.com/dMVLbwaRIq

— Jessica Schiffer (@jessicaschiffer) June 30, 2026

When it comes to fashion, the legend marked her return to singles wearing a custom Nike outfit featuring the brand’s new Radical AirFlow technology, designed to maximize breathability and cooling during play. She became the first tennis player to wear the technology in an official match, although it is expected to become a more common sight on tour in the coming months.