Williams, 40, showed some signs of rust in their opening match, but seemed to play her way back into form with each point. Due to a knee injury for Jabeur, they were forced to withdraw on Thursday but still impressed in their joint appearance at the event. She partnered with Ons Jabeur, and the dream pairing won their first two matches to advance to the semifinals.

Now she's back, as a literal and figurative wild card, and if her doubles run at Eastbourne this week has been any indication, she could be a factor. The 23-time major champion and seven-time winner at Wimbledon hasn't played a singles match since tearing her hamstring in the first round at the All England Club in 2021. So what are the biggest storylines going into this year's tournament? Which players do you need to know about? Can anyone beat Iga Swiatek and put a stop to her 35-match victory streak? Does Nick Kyrgios - yes, we said it - actually have a chance to win it all? We try to answer all that and more ahead of Monday's opening-round matches.Ī celebration we've missed 🤗 /dE3uv91SDK- US Open Tennis JSerena is BACK

Still, the tournament should provide all the compelling drama and competition we've come to expect at the All England Club.įrom Serena Williams' return to Rafael Nadal's quest for 23(!) major titles, to three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic's attempt to get his season back on track, there is something for every fan at Wimbledon this year. With the absence of reigning champion Ashleigh Barty following her surprising retirement earlier this year, no awardable ranking points available, nor any participating players from Russia or Belarus, this certainly will be a fortnight unlike any other. The players have made the switch from red to green - some better than others - and will now battle for the titles in the year's third major. It has been fewer than three weeks since the conclusion of the French Open, but - ready or not - it's time for Wimbledon. The tennis world has made the transition from France to England, from Paris to London, and - perhaps, most importantly - from clay to grass.

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