Wimbledon officials under fire after shock Serena Williams decision divides tennis world

Serena Williams has been handed a shock wildcard into the women's singles main draw at Wimbledon in a move that has divided the tennis world. Officials from the All England Club confirmed that the 44-year-old would take her place in the women's singles draw nearly four years after her last match at the US Open, when Williams originally said farewell to the sport.

The decision to hand the 23-time major winner a wildcard has prompted huge excitement, but it's also left plenty of fans incensed after British star Dan Evans was denied one for his farewell tournament at the All England Club. The move is even more baffling after the American's response earlier this month when asked if she was targeting a singles comeback, having made a successful return in the doubles.

"You think I'm ready for singles? I need to get to work," Williams told reporters. The American legend was already set to return to Wimbledon for the first time in four years after accepting a ​doubles ​wildcard ​to play alongside 46-year-old sister Venus.

But the decision by Wimbledon officials to hand the seven-time champion a wildcard to the singles main draw came completely out of the blue, with tournament organisers confirming the move on social media. "This is not a drill. Serena Williams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at Wimbledon as a wild card," the post read on Wimbledon's official account.

Williams' last singles match at Wimbledon came as a wildcard in ⁠2022 when she lost to France's Harmony Tan in round ‌one. And the American hasn't won a match at the All England Club since 2019 - the year she lost in the final to retired Romanian champion, Simona Halep.

The 44-year-old Williams originally bid farewell to tennis at the 2022 US Open where she was knocked out in the third round by Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic. The mother-of-two said at the time that she was "evolving away from tennis but made a winning return to the doubles court at Queen's this month alongside Victoria Mboko, before an injury to the Canadian cruelled their chances.

Williams lost her next doubles match alongside Czech Karolina Muchova in Berlin last week. But even though the 23-time major winner has impressed during her recent doubles return, entering the singles draw is an entirely different beast and it's hard to envisage the American being able to get through the opening round after such a long lay-off.

Wimbledon under fire over Serena Williams wildcard

Fans have been quick to criticise Wimbledon officials for handing the American a singles wildcard over an up-and-coming youngster, and especially when they snubbed British star Evans for his tennis swansong. Evans - who was hoping Wimbledon would be the final tournament of his career - was overlooked for one of the final two men's singles wildcards, with compatriots Felix Gill and Harry Wendelken getting the spots instead.

The World No.244 was also snubbed for a Queen's wildcard but could still bow out at Wimbledon if he can come through qualifying to take his spot in the main draw. The British journeyman has been drawn against 21-year-old Bolivian Juan Carlos Prado Ángelo, who recently won his first-ever ATP Challenger event at the Lima Open.

Click here to read article