Australia’s Maya Joint celebrates beating US player Serena Williams during their women’s singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

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Megan Armstrong

By Megan Armstrong

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Serena Williams took Centre Court at Wimbledon for the first time in four years on Tuesday, June 30. Williams, 44, made her official return to professional tennis by competing in doubles at the HSBC Championships and Berlin Tennis Open earlier this month, but Tuesday marked the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion's first singles match since the 2022 US Open.

Maya Joint, 20, had the still-intimidating task of facing Williams in the first round. Williams showed flashes of her enduring excellence — serving at 122 miles per hour at one point — and fought back from match point to force a third set. But Williams' inevitable rust showed, and Joint won the third set with relative ease to cut Williams' Wimbledon return short.

Joint was left literally speechless after defeating the greatest tennis player of all time.

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"Um, yeah, I really don't know what to say right now," Joint said through laughter soaked in disbelief. "Wow, I don't know what just happened, to be honest."

Australia's Maya Joint celebrates beating US player Serena Williams during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images

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Joint admitted that her nerves were so intense that she "didn't get much sleep last night" and forgot how to do her warmup.

"She has such an aura, she's such a legend," Joint said of Williams. "And this court has so many huge names that have played on it, I just — I've been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy."

Joint will play Alexandra Eala in the second round on Thursday, July 2.

Williams will still play at least one more match at Wimbledon, as she and her sister Venus Williams, 46, also an all-time great, will compete in doubles together for the first time since the 2022 US Open. The Williams sisters' first-round match is against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra on Thursday, July 2.

Watch highlights from Joint and Williams' match below.

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