Serena Williams is back. Here’s the brutal truth about these legends’ last acts

Wimbledon begins Monday — including matches featuring Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, among others — but the main event comes Tuesday.

That is when Serena Williams will play her first singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open, marking one of the most anticipated first-round matches in grand slam history. The 44-year-old, 23-time grand slam champion — who also will be playing doubles at Wimbledon with her sister Venus — will begin her comeback against Michigan native Maya Joint. The 20-year-old, who plays under Australia’s flag, is ranked No. 53 and made her debut at Wimbledon last year, losing in the first round.

“It’s an honor. I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams,” Joint said. “If you told me 10 years ago that I’d be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that’s just crazy.”