Serena Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6) 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in her first professional singles match in nearly four years in the opening round of Wimbledon. The 44-year-old Williams showed off the same powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes that led her to 23 Grand Slam singles titles — seven of them at Wimbledon — but Joint was able to handle the American standout’s pace and win the big points by moving Williams around on Centre Court. Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated but she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
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