Valiant Williams beaten on Wimbledon return, Swiatek survives scare, Zverev battles through

US player Serena Williams returns the ball to Australia's Maya Joint during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

US player Serena Williams returns the ball to Australia's Maya Joint during their first-round match on the second day of Wimbledon.

PHOTO: AFP

LONDON - Serena Williams suffered a dramatic first-round defeat on her return to singles tennis at Wimbledon on June 30 as she succumbed to inspired Australian youngster Maya Joint, while Iga Swiatek started her title defence with a nervy win.

Williams lost 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 on Centre Court in her first professional singles match since “evolving away” from tennis in 2022, despite threatening a comeback after saving a match point in the second set.

“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” said the 44-year-old in a short statement, after declining to undergo her media duties.

Williams showed glimpses of her vintage best, sparking hope that would become the oldest woman to win a singles match at the All England Club since Martina Navratilova achieved the feat aged 47 in 2004.

But she ran out of steam after breaking first in the decider, slipping to a third consecutive first-round exit at the All England Club, after suffering the same fate in both 2021 and four years ago.

Joint, 20, said she did not get much sleep the previous night, adding: “I was up until 2am last night just thinking about it.

“The start was was very nerve-racking. Trying to close out the match, she definitely raised her level.”

Williams announced her shock return to the sport earlier this month and had played two doubles matches ahead of Wimbledon.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion became the second-oldest player to feature in the Wimbledon women’s singles in the Open era, after nine-time champion Martina Navratilova who reached the second round aged 47 in 2004.

Williams was given a rousing reception when she stepped on to court, but the crowd could not push her to a famous victory, despite rapturous celebrations when she won the second set.

The American legend won the last of her seven Wimbledon titles a decade ago and her last Grand Slam triumph came at the 2017 Australian Open, when she was pregnant with her first child.

Joint, who had lost 13 of her last 14 matches and slipped to 87th in the WTA rankings, rediscovered the game which had taken her into the top 30 as recently as February.

She will next face Filipina rising star Alexandra Eala after the 29th seed dropped just three games in her first-ever Wimbledon win over Renata Zarazua.

Serena will turn her attentions to her bid to win a seventh Wimbledon women’s doubles title alongside 46-year-old sister Venus.

Swiatek, Rybakina survive scares

Reigning champion Swiatek recovered from a second-set blip to battle past Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

In 2025, she bounced back after losing her French Open crown by romping to a maiden Wimbledon title but she was far from her best 12 months on against Townsend.

The Pole made 16 unforced errors in a poor second set, but managed to take a tense decider to set up a second-round meeting with former world number one Karolina Pliskova on July 2.

“I don’t think I won any three-set match this year, so happy to do it here as it means a lot to be opening the court here as defending champion,” said third seed Swiatek.

Second seed Elena Rybakina, who could take the world-number-one ranking from Aryna Sabalenka next week, also had to dig deep to battle past 2025 French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson in three sets.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion will next face the United States’ Caty McNally for a last-32 berth.

Amanda Anisimova began her bid to go one better than 2025, when she lost the final 6-0, 6-0 to Swiatek, cruising to a straight-sets win on June 30 against Lina Gjorcheska of North Macedonia.

Zverev battles through

French Open champion Alexander Zverev came through a tricky first-round test against Belgian youngster Alexander Blockx with a 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/0) victory.

The German second seed, who took advantage of the shock early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic to clinch his long-awaited maiden major title at Roland Garros, is hoping to get past the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time.