Serena Williams made a triumphant return to Wimbledon on Tuesday, defeating world number one Iga Swiatek 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a thrilling first-round match that lasted two hours and 14 minutes. The 44-year-old American, who had not played a competitive match since the 2025 French Open due to a knee injury, showed no signs of rust as she outplayed the Polish star on Centre Court.
Williams Dominates Early, Swiatek Fights Back
Williams broke Swiatek's serve in the first game and never looked back, taking the opening set 6-4 with a combination of powerful groundstrokes and deft volleys. Swiatek, however, raised her level in the second set, breaking Williams twice to level the match. The third set was a tense affair, with Williams saving three break points in the fourth game before breaking Swiatek in the seventh game to take control. She served out the match with an ace, her 12th of the day.
Historic Victory for Williams
The victory was Williams' 99th at Wimbledon and her first over a world number one since defeating Simona Halep in the 2019 final. According to tournament officials, it was the most-watched first-round match in Wimbledon history, with peak viewership of 12.3 million in the UK alone. Williams said after the match, 'It feels incredible to be back. I've worked so hard to get here, and to beat Iga on Centre Court is a dream come true.' Swiatek, who had won their only previous meeting in 2024, praised Williams' performance: 'She played unbelievable tennis. You can never count Serena out.'
Other Results from Day One
In other action, defending champion Alexander Zverev advanced with a straight-sets win over qualifier Jack Draper, 6-2, 7-6, 6-3. British number one Katie Boulter also progressed, defeating China's Wang Xiyu 7-5, 6-2. However, there were upsets as 2024 finalist Elena Rybakina lost to unseeded Marie Bouzkova in three sets. Play continues Wednesday with Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff scheduled to take the court.
