SERENA WILLIAMS FALLS TO 20-YEAR-OLD MAYA JOINT IN WIMBLEDON RETURN AFTER NEARLY FOUR-YEAR SINGLES ABSENCE. (PHOTO).

 Serena Williams falls to 20-year-old Maya Joint in Wimbledon return after nearly four-year singles absence

Serena Williams showed flashes of the power and precision that defined her Hall of Fame career in her return to professional singles tennis Tuesday, but ultimately fell short in a three-set opening-round loss at Wimbledon.

The 44-year-old Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, was defeated 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint in a match that lasted 2 hours and 22 minutes on Centre Court. It marked Williams’ first singles appearance in nearly four years, since the 2022 U.S. Open.

Williams still produced trademark moments, including powerful serves and heavy groundstrokes that once carried her to seven Wimbledon singles titles. But Joint, ranked 87th, absorbed the pace and proved steadier on the biggest points, repeatedly finding angles that pushed Williams out of position.

“I don’t know what just happened, to be honest,” Joint said afterward. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up until like 2 a.m. just thinking about it.”

She added that facing Williams on Centre Court was overwhelming. “She has such an aura, she’s just a legend… I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid.”

Williams entered the tournament on a wild-card entry from organizers and had recently played doubles matches as part of her return to competition. She has 98 career singles wins at Wimbledon and remains one of the most accomplished players in tournament history.

Joint, meanwhile, secured her first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club, having lost in the opening round a year ago. She also arrived with confidence on grass after winning a warm-up event in Eastbourne.

The match began with a standing ovation for Williams as she walked onto Centre Court beneath a closed roof, with fans holding signs welcoming her back. Early on, she showcased her trademark power, including a 121 mph ace and a delicate topspin lob winner, but a double fault contributed to the lone break of the first set.

The second set turned into a dramatic battle. Williams fought off four break points to hold serve at 6-5, then saved a match point in the tiebreak with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand approach winner. She later converted a set point after a 122 mph serve forced an error from Joint, leveling the match.

But in the deciding set, Joint seized control early, breaking away as Williams began to fade. On Joint’s third match point, Williams sent a forehand long, ending the contest.

Despite the loss, Williams exited to loud applause and a calm smile. She and Joint finished with 37 unforced errors apiece, while Joint held a 40-26 advantage in winners.