Serena Williams playing Wimbledon, Wawrinka and Van Rijthoven get wild cards

Serena Williams will return at Wimbledon in two weeks.

Williams, who has not played competitively since retiring from her first-round match at Wimbledon in 2021 because of a right-leg injury, received a wild card on Tuesday. The 40-year-old was not on the initial entry list for the season’s third Grand Slam when it was released earlier this summer, leading the assumption that she would remain on the sidelines from tennis. That all changed earlier this week when the All-England Club revealed its official list of wild cards.

It was actually hinted at earlier on Tuesday by Williams herself via Instagram. “SW and SW19,” she wrote. “2022 See you there. Let’s Go”.

Williams is a seven-time champion of Wimbledon and she has won 23 major titles overall, one short of Margaret Court.

Among those joining the American at the All-England Club are Katie Boulter and Katie Swan along with men’s wild cards that include three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and surprise ‘s-Hertogenbosch winner Tim van Rijthoven. Wawrinka, coming back from a year-long injury layoff himself, is currently playing at Queen’s Club. Van Rijthoven had never won an ATP-level match before making an incredible run to the ‘s-Hertogenbosch title last week. Wawrinka, van Rijthoven, and Williams are the only current Wimbledon wild cards who are not British.

Williams will get some grass-court practice under her belt prior to her comeback in London later this month when she plays doubles in Eastbourne next week with Ons Jabeur.

“I have no idea (why she picked me),” Jabeur said. “I’m pretty lucky that she picked me and I’m going to try to be 100 percent on the court and serve like Andy Roddick, make volleys like the Bryans, just trying to be really good.

“I’m still over the moon. I found out before the French Open, and it’s an honor and privilege to play with her. I’m actually nervous, but I’m going to try to be the doubles specialist for the next week and hopefully make zero mistakes. It’s a great honor to play with such a legend and to be able to really share the court with her is unbelievable, because we never played each other and now we’re playing next to each other–we are a team. I’m really excited to be in Eastbourne next week, more and more excited than ever. Hopefully it’s going to be a great tournament for both of us.”