For four years, Serena Williams existed as a memory at Wimbledon. On Tuesday night, she walked back onto Centre Court and made the past feel present.

Wearing headphones, her eyes fixed straight ahead, Williams didn’t have a jazzy entrance with a custom jacket or elaborate outfit. The crowd, though, gave her a jazzy standing ovation as the seven-time Wimbledon champion made her return to singles competition.

What was perhaps most striking was how quickly Serena Williams looked as though she belonged on Centre Court again. In the warm-up, Williams’ serve and groundstrokes still had their easy power. Within a few games, it no longer felt like watching a 44-year-old who had not played a singles match in four years. It simply felt like watching Serena.

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Maya Joint, though, was extremely impressive, absorbing Serena’s pace and redirecting, staying close to the baseline.

The 20-year-old Australian, ranked No. 87, produced the biggest victory of her career, defeating the 23-time Grand Slam champion 6-3, 6-7(8), 6-3 in two hours and 22 minutes to advance to the second round.

Joint never appeared intimidated by the occasion. Her two-handed backhand often dictated the rallies, allowing her to change direction with ease and often jamming Williams on the forehand side before the American could create enough space to swing freely. There were many hard-hitting rallies straight through the middle of the court, with Joint more often coming out on top.
Joint also out-aced Williams 10-7, struck 40 winners to Williams’ 26, and finished with 115 points won to 103. Although both players committed 37 unforced errors, Joint was the one winning the most important points at the most important times.

The movement, rather than the power, occasionally betrayed the four-year layoff. Williams still found her favorite serve out wide, crushed forehand winners at sharp angles, and finished points with her swinging forehand volley. In big moments, she yelled, “Come on!” But Joint repeatedly rushed her forehand side, forcing Williams to hit without creating her usual space. There were occasional lapses—a mistimed swing, a couple of untimely double faults and a backhand miss that drew a frustrated shriek—but they felt more like dips rather than signs she did not belong.

Joint served confidently throughout the opening set, saving two break points in the fifth game before taking it 6-3. Williams responded in the second set, saving a match point before edging a dramatic tiebreak 10-8 to force a decider.

“I really don’t know what to say right now,” Joint said in her on-court interview. “I don’t know what just happened, to be honest.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up until 2 a. m. just thinking about it. Walking out, I forgot the warm-up. I don’t know what happened.

“My legs weren’t moving. I really don’t know how I got a pretty good start in the match. Serena has so much aura; she is such a legend.

“This court has had so many huge names that have played on it. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”

After letting match point slip away in the second set, Joint regrouped impressively. Serving for the match again in the third, she double-faulted on her first match point before responding with an ace out wide. Williams’ forehand return sailed long on the next opportunity. Joint held up her arms in what looked like disbelief, and Serena walked to the net with a smile, sharing a warm handshake and congratulating Joint.

“I think the toughest part was just trying to come out on court and play a match against her,” Joint said. “The start was nerve-wracking. Trying to finish out the match as well, I think she definitely lifted her level. She played some really great tennis there.”

After the biggest victory of her career, Joint will next face the 29th seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in the second round.

Williams’ singles return ended in defeat, but her Wimbledon is not over. She will return in doubles alongside her sister Venus.