Williams to face unseeded Joint in Wimbledon comeback, Fritz drawn against Draper

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-serena/ttsu68nH/"]Williams[/a] retired in 2022 but the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion made a sensational comeback by playing in the Queen's Club and Berlin Open doubles earlier in June.[/p][p]The 44-year-old was given a wildcard entry in the Wimbledon singles - a tournament she has won seven times.[/p][p][b]If Williams beats world number 53 Joint, who has won just one of her past 14 matches, the American could face 29th seed rising star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eala-alexandra/ppu9X7PH/"]Alexandra Eala[/a] of the Philippines in the second round.[/b][/p][embed guid="08e4f05d-04d3-44e1-b4cf-03bebadca267" url="https://x.com/Wimbledon/status/2070438931959529949" social-type="twitter" /][p]A victory in the second round would raise the possibility of a potential blockbuster third round tie against reigning champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a], who starts her title defence against American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/townsend-taylor/Y9jUuHka/"]Taylor Townsend[/a].[/p][p][b]On the men's side of the draw, American sixth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fritz-taylor/UH09iaZ6/"]Taylor Fritz[/a] has been handed a tricky opener against Britain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/draper-jack/SWxNhpmK/"]Jack Draper[/a], who is continuing his return from injury with the help of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murray-andy/tYvP6939/"]Andy Murray[/a] on his coaching team.[/b][/p][p]World number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] faces Serbia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kecmanovic-miomir/MTQ5CPOR/"]Miomir Kecmanovic[/a] as he looks to successfully defend his Wimbledon title, while seven-time former champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] starts against China's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wu-yibing/8ASNvPfK/"]Wu Yibing[/a].[/p][embed guid="0379aa8f-da1f-49c2-bd3d-82cdafc552a0" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2070444929008951608" social-type="twitter" /][p]Williams, who has been practicing at Wimbledon for the past week, last played a singles match nearly four years ago at the US Open in what had appeared to be her farewell to the sport.[/p][p]She said at the time she was "evolving away" from tennis.[/p][p][b]But just prior to the Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen's this year, Williams announced her stunning return, a move motivated by a desire to play in front of her two young daughters.[/b][/p][p]She has not played at Wimbledon since losing to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tan-harmony/vqOqBe0i/"]Harmony Tan[/a] in the first round in 2022.[/p][p]Her last Grand Slam match was the US Open third round defeat against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tomljanovic-ajla/hAR7VtG4/"]Ajla Tomljanovic[/a] that seemed to have brought the curtain down on her astonishing career.[/p][embed guid="76297282-5fa8-4bc3-9a95-da5fc867d12a" url="https://x.com/Wimbledon/status/2070435763288740168" social-type="twitter" /][p]It remains to be seen if Williams can cope with the physical demands of singles competition after so long away from the sport.[/p][p]She looked solid in her two doubles matches at Queen's and Berlin, winning one in London with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mboko-victoria/AqVez8TJ/"]Victoria Mboko[/a] and losing her opening tie with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muchova-karolina/Or4Qa1ye/"]Karolina Muchova[/a] in Germany.[/p][p][b]But Williams has not won a Grand Slam crown since the 2017 Australian Open, with her last major final appearance ending in defeat at the 2019 US Open.[/b][/p][p]Williams is also playing in the doubles at Wimbledon with her sister Venus.[/p][p]The pair have won the All England Club doubles six times together.[/p]