The 44-year-old American was playing at Wimbledon for the first time in nearly four years, returning to the All England Club after a gap of 1,462 days. However, her comeback campaign was cut short by the 20-year-old Joint, who secured a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 victory to advance to the second round.

The match drew significant attention from fans eager to watch one of the sport’s greatest players compete again on the grass courts where she built much of her legendary career. But despite flashes of brilliance, Williams was unable to sustain her level against an opponent 24 years younger.

Joint made a confident start and capitalised on Serena’s lack of match rhythm in the opening set. The Australian controlled rallies effectively and took the set 6-3, putting immediate pressure on the former world No. 1.

Williams responded strongly in the second set. After battling through difficult moments and facing pressure on her serve, she forced a tie-break and showed glimpses of the resilience that defined her career. The American edged the tie-break to level the contest and ignite hopes of a remarkable comeback.

However, the physical demands of a three-set battle appeared to take their toll in the deciding set. Joint maintained her composure, broke at a crucial stage and closed out the match 6-3 to record one of the biggest wins of her young career.

Following the defeat, Williams said she was grateful for the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon again and praised the atmosphere created by the crowd.

While her future plans remain unclear, the emotional return marked another significant chapter in a career that has transformed women’s tennis and inspired generations of players around the world.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov enjoyed a successful start to his campaign. The 35-year-old defeated Australia’s Dane Sweeny 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 in straight sets.

Dimitrov’s victory carried added significance after his painful exit from Wimbledon last year. During his fourth-round match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the Bulgarian had been forced to retire due to a pectoral injury despite leading by two sets. His return to winning ways was warmly received by spectators, and he spent considerable time interacting with fans after the match.

Defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also faced an early challenge before securing her place in the next round. The Polish star overcame American Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in a contest that lasted more than two hours.

After dominating the opening set, Swiatek lost momentum in the second and was pushed into a tense decider. She recovered from a difficult start to the third set, saving multiple break points before regaining control. The emotional victory appeared to overwhelm the reigning champion, who was seen wiping away tears on court after the match.

The opening rounds have also brought disappointment for British tennis. A total of 15 home players were eliminated in the first round, marking the country's worst opening-round performance at Wimbledon in nearly four decades.

Despite those setbacks, Britain still has representatives moving forward. Katie Swan advanced with a straight-sets victory over Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu, while Jacob Fearnley produced an impressive comeback after trailing by two sets to keep local hopes alive.

As Wimbledon progresses, Serena Williams’ early exit will remain one of the tournament’s biggest talking points, while a new generation of players continues to make its mark on tennis’ most prestigious stage.