Joint fulfills lifelong dream in besting Serena Williams at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON -- Serena Williams gave Wimbledon another chance to look at the sport's greatness on Tuesday. And for her opponent Maya Joint -- who defeated the seven-time Wimbledon champion 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in Williams' first singles match in nearly four years -- she fulfilled a lifelong dream and won the biggest match of her career.

Emerging victorious against Serena Williams. On Centre Court. Full house. The legend's first singles match back? It simply doesn't get better than that.

"Stepping out on court with Serena was something I never thought I'd get to do," Joint said to press after the match. "I don't think I have quite processed it yet."

Joint advances to face Alexandra Eala in the second round Thursday -- a 2025 Eastbourne final rematch -- while Williams will remain in Wimbledon for doubles alongside her sister, Venus, where they are six-time champions at the All England Club.

The 20-year-old never thought she'd get the chance to play Williams, 44, as she found her footing on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz after Williams' most recent singles match vs. Ajla Tomljanovic on Sept. 3, 2022 at the US Open. Williams was always one of Joint's idols -- the American-born Aussie tried to emulate Williams' aggressive style as a child and she always fondly watched the many Serena, Venus rivalries.

Now, 1397 days later since that last singles match, Joint has unlocked a new core memory.

"It's an honor," Joint said Friday at media day. "I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams, and if you'd told me 10 years ago that I'd be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that's just crazy.

"I have so much respect for her, and she was one of my idols growing up. I'm just really excited to have the opportunity to play against her."

The pomp and circumstance

The British crowd overwhelmingly showered Serena -- and Joint -- with a standing ovation as she walked onto court from the foyer with a Let's Go Serena, Let's Go! chant soon to follow when she reached her chair. But most importantly, she had the support from a full player box, including Venus, her husband Alexis Ohanian, her daughters, and more.

Entering, the American-born Australian knew the crowd would favor the legend across the net, evident in the difference of roars when the two made their way to their respective baselines for the opening point. London was certainly enjoying Joint's game play in the match, too.

"The stadium is pretty much what I expected," Joint said. "A full stadium and very loud. They also cheered a lot for me, which I didn't think they were going to do as much as they did. That was a nice surprise. I don't know the last time I played in such a full stadium, so that was amazing."

Williams has made that short walk All England Club's member's entrance foyer to Centre Court dozens of times, but today it was different. Wimbledon doesn't just hold a wild card for anyone -- Williams said so herself on Sunday -- and it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

"I thought not every day Wimbledon holds a wild card for someone," Williams said to press on her Sunday media day. "I can name probably like a handful of people. I happened to be one of those people. I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I'll ever make it here again. This could be it."

It was her first appearance in front of the southwest London crowd in four years, and Williams knew this time would be more distinct emotionally than the rest.

"I think my feelings will be different," Williams said Sunday. "I think in general my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career. My feelings are just -- not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn't be here today -- but I feel like I'm really going to enjoy being out there."

Williams did not address reporters after the match, but left a statement that was distributed to the media:

"It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything."

'I think this time was definitely more extreme'

Joint admitted the nerves were eating her up yesterday night ahead of the match. So much that she was restless until 2 a.m. just thinking about facing Williams, she said on-court.

"I usually don't have that where I can't sleep, but this was a special circumstance," Joint said. "I mean, you know, I was looking for my first Wimbledon win, just a win in general. I was playing against Serena on Centre Court. Just a lot of thoughts going through my mind, because I wanted to do really well, and I was nervous with what was going to happen."

Her emotions are definitely warranted. Though it certainly the first time Joint has felt nervous before a match, the fact that the draw was Friday morning and her match not until the following Tuesday added to the restlessness.

"I think this time was definitely more extreme," Joint said to press. "I have definitely been nervous before matches before, but it's usually just right before I go on, not for four days before I find out when I'm going to play her."

In reality, Joint's nerves only went away when she shook Williams' end, signifying the match's end. Joint said standing in the foyer before walking on-court was the "craziest moment of my life," and to reporters, she described Williams' aura in tennis.

"It's difficult to explain," Joint said. "I don't know. It just seems like she's just so much better in general than you as a person [laughing].

"I don't know. It's just intimidating having to play a match against someone who has achieved so much in their career."

Rapid recap

Joint went toe-to-toe with Williams, matching the power as best she could, and relied upon 40 winners, five breaks of Williams' serve and eight break points saved to propel herself to victory.

Joint, after winning the first set with a timely break, had the opportunity to end the match in straight sets, holding a match point at 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker, but Williams saved it and won two straight points to send the match to a third.

At that point, Centre Court stood in unison for the second time, thunderously erupting as Williams forced a decider -- you would've thought she won the match, or even another Grand Slam title.

In the third set, Joint found herself arguably in her most vulnerable state to lose control of the match, being broken and down 2-1. But Joint never quit, and that willed her to a third-set deciding victory. She immediately got the break back, held serve, broke Williams for the fifth time and held again to lead 5-2.

This time, it was Joint's turn to receive a standing ovation as she held two games later to defeat one of her biggest idols, receiving an Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi chant before her on-court interview. And as expected and deserved, Williams received another thunderous applause, waving to the London crowd, but not for the final time as her doubles campaign with Venus has yet to start.

Click here to read article