Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams meet up during Serbian icon's training session
London, June 25
Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic met iconic American tennis player Serena Williams during his training session, with the 23-time Grand Slam winner set to make her return to Wimbledon as a wildcard in women's singles action.
Novak, who is also chasing his 25th Grand Slam title and is yet to win one since the US Open 2023, shared some snippets of his training session.
The 2026 Championships are scheduled to be held from June 29 to July 12, with Williams' return expected to be one of the biggest storylines of the tournament.
Wimbledon confirmed the development through an Instagram post on Monday, announcing the seven-time singles champion's return to the All England Club.
The wildcard entry marks Williams' first appearance in the women's singles draw at Wimbledon in four years and came shortly after she had already secured a return to the Championships through a doubles wildcard alongside her sister, Venus Williams.
The 44-year-old, regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history, stepped away from professional tennis following the 2022 US Open. However, she returned to competitive action earlier this month at Queen's Club, where she partnered rising star Victoria Mboko in doubles competition.
The pair won their opening-round match, but Mboko was later forced to withdraw from the tournament because of injury. The injury will also prevent the Canadian youngster from participating at Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams, who made her comeback to the tour last July after a 16-month break, is currently ranked No. 119 in doubles. Her best result since returning came at last year's US Open, where she reached the quarterfinals partnering Leylah Fernandez.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Serena is 44 years old and still coming back to compete? That's sheer determination. Hope she does well at Wimbledon. Novak also needs that 25th Grand Slam to break the record. Two GOATs in one frame! 🎾🔥
I wish they had shown us a photo or video of their meeting. Would have been legendary! Serena's return is great for women's tennis, but can she really compete at 44? The game has changed so much.
As an Indian tennis fan, I always love seeing legends interact. Djokovic and Serena are from different eras but share that champion mentality. Hope both of them have good runs at Wimbledon this year. But honestly, I'm more excited for the singles draw overall.
Serena Williams returning to Wimbledon is a dream for her fans! And Venus too at 119 in doubles rankings. The Williams sisters are such inspirations. Also, Djokovic meeting Serena - yaar, that would be a conversation worth hearing. Both from tough backgrounds who made it big through sheer hard work. 👏
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