Serena Williams has discovered the opponent standing between her and a winning return to singles tennis after being handed a favourable first-round draw at Wimbledon.
The American great, who is making a shock comeback at the age of 44, will take on Australia's Maya Joint in her opening match at the All England Club.
Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, has not played a competitive singles match since the US Open in 2022 and was handed a wildcard by organisers to resume her career on the sport's biggest stage.
The draw was always likely to provide one of the major talking points ahead of the tournament, with intrigue surrounding who the 23-time Grand Slam winner would face on her long-awaited return.
During the women's draw ceremony on Friday, Williams' name emerged midway through the bracket, immediately raising interest among those in attendance.
And the former world No 1 appears to have been given a kind opening assignment.
Joint, currently ranked 53rd in the world, is set for only her second Wimbledon main-draw appearance after suffering a first-round exit on her debut last year.
Serena Williams has discovered the opponent standing between her and a winning return to singles tennis after being handed a favourable first-round draw at Wimbledon
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The 20-year-old has also struggled for form in recent weeks, winning just one of her last 14 matches heading into the Championships.
Victory for Williams would likely set up a second-round meeting with 29th seed Alexandra Eala, while a blockbuster showdown with reigning champion Iga Swiatek could await in the third round.
Swiatek, who captured her maiden Wimbledon title last year, begins her title defence against American Taylor Townsend.
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Five things to know about Wimbledon | GB NEWSElsewhere, British hopes rest heavily on Emma Raducanu, who has been seeded 30th for the tournament and will start her campaign against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic.
However, there are concerns over the fitness of the former US Open champion after she missed practice on Thursday because of a shin problem.
Should Raducanu progress through the opening rounds, she could find herself facing world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round for the second consecutive year.
But much of the spotlight will remain fixed on Williams as she embarks on one of the most remarkable chapters of her glittering career.
Maja Joint will be Serena Williams' opponent at Wimbledon this year
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Few players in the history of the sport have commanded attention in the manner Williams has throughout her two decades at the top, and her return is expected to dominate headlines throughout the opening week.
Given her status and popularity, Williams is widely expected to be placed on Centre Court when she takes to the grass on Tuesday.
Having won seven Wimbledon singles titles and amassed 23 Grand Slam crowns overall, she remains one of the most decorated players the game has ever seen.
Now, almost four years after stepping away from singles competition, it'll be intriguing how she fares.