Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams is making her return to the grass courts, having stayed in a luxurious six-bedroom Airbnb mansion in central London leading up to the tournament. The property, reportedly costing £40,000 per week, spans seven floors and features amenities such as a walled roof terrace and a chic pale-stone bathroom with a freestanding tub. Williams shared her appreciation for the accommodation on Instagram, thanking Airbnb for a "wonderful stay" and noting that "a little peace goes a long way during tournament week."
The 44-year-old tennis icon accepted a wildcard invitation for the ladies' singles at Wimbledon just days after checking out of the rental. She is scheduled to appear on Centre Court on Tuesday. Williams last competed at the tournament in 2022 and had expressed uncertainty about her return until shortly before the deadline.
"I just wasn't sure up until then," she told reporters on Sunday. "Honestly, I'm still not even sure, but we'll see... I feel like I'm really going to enjoy being out there." Williams had been building her match confidence with her first competitive matches in four years in the Queens doubles event, where she partnered with 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. The pair defeated the third seeds in the opening round before retiring due to an injury sustained by Mboko.
Williams, who is also entering the doubles with her sister Venus, described her return to Wimbledon as "like riding a bike." However, the former champion also voiced frustration with "unreasonable" anti-doping tests, which she stated make it difficult to balance her tennis career with family life. She noted that the testing protocols were a significant factor in her hesitation to return.
Married to entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, Williams stepped back from tennis to focus on her family, welcoming her second child, Adira, in 2023. Her wildcard entry for the doubles with Venus was announced on June 16, followed by her securing the final singles slot five days later. Her first-round singles opponent is 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, ranked world number 53.
Meanwhile, Wimbledon organizers are contending with adverse weather conditions, including recent storms that flooded the media center and extreme heat that affected the Hawk-Eye line-calling system during qualifiers. While temperatures dipped over the weekend, they are forecast to climb back to 31C (88F) by the end of the week.