Serena and Venus Williams get Wimbledon 2026 wildcard for women's doubles
Synopsis
More than two decades after they first dominated women's doubles, Serena and Venus Williams are heading back to Wimbledon together — this time as wildcard entrants. With Serena, 44, staging a comeback after four years away from Grand Slam tennis and Venus yet to win a singles match in 2026, the reunion carries as much emotional weight as competitive intrigue. Wimbledon begins 29 June.
Key Takeaways
Serena and Venus Williams have been awarded a wildcard for the women's doubles draw at Wimbledon 2026 , which begins 29 June .
The sisters have won the Wimbledon doubles title six times and hold 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, with an unbeaten record in Grand Slam doubles finals.
Serena , 44 , is making her return to Grand Slam tennis after a four-year absence since the 2022 US Open .
Venus , 45 , has lost all seven of her singles matches in 2026 but won a doubles title at the Madrid Open with Katie Boulter .
Neither sister has received a women's singles wildcard; one singles wildcard remains to be allocated by organisers.
Other Wimbledon wildcards include Stan Wawrinka , Grigor Dimitrov (men's singles), and Maja Chwalińska (women's singles).
Serena Williams and Venus Williams will reunite on the grass courts of the All England Club this month after being awarded a wildcard for the women's doubles draw at Wimbledon 2026, which gets underway on 29 June. The announcement marks one of the most anticipated returns in recent Grand Slam history, as Serena continues her comeback to professional tennis after a four-year absence.
A Legacy Built at Wimbledon
The Williams sisters have constructed one of the most formidable doubles partnerships the sport has ever produced. Together, they have lifted the Wimbledon women's doubles trophy six times and remain unbeaten in Grand Slam doubles finals, accumulating 14 major doubles titles in total. Their dominance at the All England Club is matched only by their Olympic record — the pair won women's doubles gold at the Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 Games, with the last of those triumphs coming on the very same Wimbledon courts they will now return to.
Serena's Unexpected Comeback
Serena Williams, 44, had not competed at a Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open, a tournament widely regarded as the closing chapter of her career. Her return to competitive tennis began earlier this month at Queen's Club, where she partnered Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the doubles event. The pair won their opening match before Mboko was forced to withdraw through injury, cutting short what had been an encouraging restart for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion. Serena has since extended her comeback campaign at the Berlin Tennis Open, competing alongside Czech player Karolína Muchová in the doubles draw ahead of Wimbledon.
Venus's Season and Singles Wildcard Picture
Venus Williams, 45, arrives at Wimbledon in search of momentum after a difficult singles season. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has yet to record a singles win in 2026, having lost all seven of her singles matches so far. In doubles, however, she showed her enduring quality earlier this year, pairing with Britain's Katie Boulter to claim a title at the Madrid Open.
Neither sister has been included among the initial recipients of women's singles wildcards. Organisers have yet to allocate one remaining singles wildcard, leaving an outside possibility that one of them could still feature in the singles draw.
Other Wildcard Recipients
Wimbledon's broader wildcard announcement featured several notable names. Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka has received a place in the men's singles main draw as he prepares for the final season of his professional career, while Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov also earned a wildcard. On the women's side, French Open runner-up Maja Chwalińska was awarded a wildcard following her breakthrough run at Roland Garros. Notably, Britain's Dan Evans — who announced this will be his final Wimbledon before retirement — was not granted direct entry into the men's singles draw.
What to Expect at Wimbledon 2026
The Williams sisters' reunion is set to be one of the defining narratives of this year's Championships. More than two decades after they first reshaped women's doubles, Serena and Venus will walk out onto Wimbledon's grass together once more, adding a new chapter to a partnership that has defined an era. Whether their bodies can match the ambition of the moment remains the central question — but few storylines at Wimbledon 2026 are likely to command more attention.
Point of View
And the All England Club knows exactly what it is buying — a narrative. Serena at 44, four years removed from competitive Grand Slam tennis, is unlikely to trouble the world's elite doublers for five rounds. But the sisters' return raises a more interesting question: at what point does a comeback serve the sport's storytelling more than its competitive integrity? Wimbledon has always been as much theatre as tournament, and the Williams reunion fits that tradition perfectly. The real story, however, may be whether Serena's body holds up long enough to make the doubles draw a genuine contest rather than a ceremonial farewell.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why have Serena and Venus Williams received a Wimbledon 2026 wildcard?
The Williams sisters were awarded a wildcard for the women's doubles draw at Wimbledon 2026, granting them direct entry into the competition. Organisers have not publicly stated the specific reasons, but the pair are six-time Wimbledon doubles champions with 14 Grand Slam doubles titles between them.
When does Wimbledon 2026 begin?
Wimbledon 2026 gets underway on 29 June. Serena and Venus Williams are expected to feature in the women's doubles draw as wildcard entrants.
How long has Serena Williams been away from Grand Slam tennis?
Serena Williams, 44, last competed at a Grand Slam at the 2022 US Open, making her absence approximately four years. She returned to competitive tennis earlier in June 2026 at Queen's Club before continuing her comeback at the Berlin Tennis Open.
Could Serena or Venus Williams play singles at Wimbledon 2026?
Neither sister has been included among the initial women's singles wildcard recipients. However, one singles wildcard remains to be allocated by Wimbledon organisers, leaving a slim possibility that one of them could still enter the singles draw.
Who are the other notable Wimbledon 2026 wildcard recipients?
Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov received men's singles wildcards. French Open runner-up Maja Chwalińska earned a women's singles wildcard. Britain's Dan Evans, who announced this will be his final Wimbledon, was not granted a men's singles wildcard.
