Wimbledon 2026: Serena Williams Returns, Pop-Up Court in Central Park

The 139th Wimbledon Championships begin Monday, headlined by Serena Williams' return at age 44, nearly four years after her last singles match. The seven-time champion faces 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint (ranked 53rd) in the first round Tuesday on Centre Court. A potential second-round match against Alexandra Eala and a third-round clash with defending champion Iga Świątek loom. Williams also pairs with sister Venus in doubles. Meanwhile, a pop-up grass court at Central Park's Wollman Rink, installed by Wimbledon's ground staff, hosts a four-day celebration with ticketed doubles matches (Andre Agassi/Genie Bouchard vs. James Blake/Caroline Wozniacki), free public clinics, and giant-screen match broadcasts. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka leads the women's draw, with Świątek, Mirra Andreeva, and Coco Gauff as contenders. On the men's side, defending champion Jannik Sinner is in the same half as Novak Djokovic; Alexander Zverev anchors the bottom half. The most anticipated first-round men's match is Taylor Fritz vs. Jack Draper.