Serena Williams makes her return to grand slam singles tennis at Wimbledon 2026 at the age of 44.
Four years after walking away from the sport, the 23-time grand slam champion enters the first round as a wildcard.
The woman tasked with taking on the daunting prospect of the seven-time Wimbledon champion is a player 24 years her junior; Maya Joint.
The Sporting News takes a look at Williams’ opponent today ahead of the eagerly anticipated match up.
LIVE: Serena Williams vs. Maya Joint at Wimbledon
Maya Joint ranking
The Australian is currently ranked No. 53 in the world rankings. She achieved a career high of No.32 last year.
How old is Maya Joint?
Maya Joint was born on April 16, 2006, making her 20 years old. She is 24 years younger than Serena Williams at the time of their match at Wimbledon.
Maya Joint career titles
Joint has won two WTA singles tour titles to date.
In May 2025, she won her maiden WTA title in Rabat, Morocco, defeating Jaqueline Cristian in the final.
Just over one month later, Joint added to her trophy cabinet with victory at the Eastbourne Open in England. She got the better of fellow rising star Alexandra Eala in a thrilling decider.
MORE: Inside Serena Williams’ comeback at age 44
Where is Maya Joint from?
Joint was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in 2006.
Her Australian father, Michael, was a professional squash player, while her German mother, Katja, played tennis, squash and badminton in her younger years.
Naturally, she pursued racquet sports too, before settling on tennis.
Joint spent the bulk of her upbringing in the U.S, and her North American accent remains prominent as a result.
She relocated Down Under in 2023, training at Tennis Australia’s national academy in Brisbane, Queensland.
This notably came with an eligibility switch to the green and gold.
Maya Joint college
Joint committed to the University of Texas tennis program for the 2024/25 season.
However, in December of 2024, she announced she would turn pro and thereby forego her college tennis opportunity.
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