London, 22 June (H.S.): Legendary American tennis star Serena Williams is set to make her return to the Grand Slam stage. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has been awarded the final wildcard entry for the women's singles draw at Wimbledon 2026, marking her return to singles competition at a major tournament after nearly four years.

The 44-year-old had already secured a wildcard for the women's doubles event alongside her elder sister, Venus Williams. Her inclusion in the singles draw has further heightened excitement among tennis fans ahead of the prestigious tournament.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena last competed at the Championships in 2022, where she was defeated in the opening round by France's Harmony Tan. Later that year, her campaign at the US Open ended in the third round.

At the time, Serena did not formally announce her retirement from professional tennis, instead stating that she was moving into a new phase of her life beyond the sport.

Speculation about her return intensified last year after she rejoined the anti-doping testing programme, a move widely viewed as a sign of a possible comeback.

More recently, Serena returned to competitive action by playing doubles alongside Canada's rising star Victoria Mboko. She also partnered Czech player Karolina Muchova in another doubles event.

Attention will now turn to Wimbledon, where Serena will once again step onto the singles court in an attempt to add another memorable chapter to her illustrious career.

This year's Wimbledon Championships are scheduled to be held from June 29 to July 12.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar