Serena Williams won her first professional match in four years on June 9 at Queen’s Club in London, partnering 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko to defeat third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 7-6(2), 6-2 in front of a sold-out Andy Murray Arena. The moment silenced any doubts about whether her body could still compete at this level on grass. However, the victory did not ease the nagging uncertainty that had hung over her since the comeback was announced: would Serena play Wimbledon? That question has now been answered. 

Unfortunately, Mboko suffered an injury following the win and ended their Queen’s Club campaign early. Wimbledon’s official Instagram account then commented on a post featuring the two players: 

“Wishing @vickymboko a speedy recovery. See you at SW19 for The Championships, Serena 🌱” 

The comment was not subtle and has reportedly been deleted since. But could this hint at an upcoming wildcard for The Championships?

The route Williams has taken is similar to the preparation path of those players aiming for a strong Wimbledon run. The Queen’s Club appearance was not a one-off. She will also head to the Berlin Ladies Open on June 15, where she will play doubles alongside Karolina Muchova, leading up to Wimbledon, which begins on June 29. The progression is quite deliberate: grass-court match practice, building up rhythm, and then the world’s largest grass-court stage. 

It would not be the first time Wimbledon has handed Williams a wildcard for a comeback. In 2022, the AELTC granted her a singles wildcard after a year-long injury sideline, even though her ranking had dropped to 1,208 in the world. She lost in the first round to Harmony Tan in three sets. 

This time, the build-up has been a lot more structured. At Queen’s Club, Williams and Mboko posted a 75% first-serve rate in their opening match, and Williams was clocking services up to 120 mph, and having the reflexes of a 20-year-old at the net. While she did not explicitly confirm if she would return to Wimbledon 2026, when asked about it following her opening match, Williams replied she’s taking it “one day at a time.” So, the signs are more encouraging than they were four years ago. 

All England Club CEO and Chair both drop strong hints

The All England Club has not yet made it official, but the people who matter have said everything short of it. The club’s chief executive, Sally Bolton, went straight to Williams’ return on Thursday, being careful not to confirm the return but leaving no doubt. 

“I guess what I can say is we can all see how much excitement Serena being back on a tennis court, and particularly back on a grass court, has created. And so one can only imagine what that would be like if it was the Championship. The wild card committee will make their decisions formally next week and we’ll be communicating those early next week. She has certainly created a fantastic buzz, and that is exciting for the sport,” she said.

All England Club Chair Debbie Jevans went a step further. 

“As and when at the meeting next week, I’m sure it won’t ignore her success at Wimbledon when making that decision,” she said. 

That success is considerable. Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, having taken the title from 2002 to 2016, second only to Martina Navratilova’s nine, and even with Steffi Graf, who is tied for second with her seven wins. She also has six ladies’ doubles titles at the All England Club, all won alongside Venus. Fourteen Grand Slam doubles titles between the two sisters, six of them at Wimbledon, is a record the wildcard committee will not be setting aside lightly. 

Wimbledon usually gives wildcards to players who lack the ranking to enter the main draw. Organizers most often award these wildcards to home nation players, injured players, and those with exceptional credentials at the tournament. Williams fits that last category better than just about anyone who ever played there. The formal announcement is expected on Tuesday.

When it arrives, and it appears inevitable, Williams will have the grass-court preparation to match. Berlin begins on June 15, and Wimbledon starts on June 29. The path is mapped out, and now only time will tell if we will see the seven-time champion back on the grass.