Whites on green: On Wimbledon 2026

No tournament marries old world charm with new age freshness quite like Wimbledon . This will be on display yet again when the year’s third Major gets underway on Monday. If the pristine grass courts and all-white attire are reminders of tennis’s origins and traditions, the introduction of video review technology from 2026 is the latest example of the event marching with the times. Another throwback to the old days will be the return of Serena Williams , a seven-time singles champion at the All England Club. She is 44, and has not played competitively in nearly four years, but appears leaner and fitter, thanks in large measure to modern-day weight-reduction medication. The legendary American is a wildcard entrant in doubles as well, where she will partner her illustrious sister and five-time Wimbledon singles winner Venus, with the duo looking for their seventh doubles crown at SW19. But unranked as Serena is, the probability of meeting high-profile opponents from the get-go is high. Women’s tennis is also a crowded market-place, with as many as five Slam champions and three others with runner-up finishes among the top-10 seeds. Chief among them are World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, 2022 winner Elena Rybakina, defending champion Iga Swiatek and the teenaged Mirra Andreeva, who clinched her maiden Major at Roland-Garros recently.