The tennis legend made her comeback to the prestigious tournament in 2026 but lost in the first round to Maya Joint
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Serena Williams has won Wimbledon seven times, but she wins the on-court fashion game every year.
The legendary athlete, who announced her return to the professional tour in 2026, played her first Wimbledon in four years on June 30. She lost to 20-year-old Maya Joint in three tough sets, but the 23-time Grand Slam champion showed that she still has the game to hang with the best — and a sense of style for the tennis history books.
"I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love," she wrote in an Instagram post after the loss. "Thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old."
Take a look back at Williams's timeless Wimbledon white attire over the last three decades, from her first appearance in 1998 to her latest outing in 2026.
01 of 22
1998
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With the Williams sisters' trademark beads in her hair, she made her debut at Wimbledon in a simple white Puma dress with black trim.
She lost in the third round to Virginia Ruano Pascual, retiring while down 5-7, 1-4.
02 of 22
2000
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Per Wimbledon rules, players must wear "almost entirely white" outfits, so Serena added a pop of purple to her 2000 dress, accessorized with a feathery hair tie.
She lost in the semifinals to her sister Venus, 2-6, 6-7.
03 of 22
2001
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Williams opted for turquoise in her 2001 dress, and she upped the glitz to another level with a butterfly embellished on the hip.
She lost to Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals, 7-6, 5-7, 3-6.
04 of 22
2002
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The star went gold in her 2002 bid for the title, her second consecutive Grand Slam that year.
She took home her first Venus Rosewater Dish, defeating her sister 7-6, 6-3.
05 of 22
2003
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Williams popped on the grass in an orange-trimmed dress, belted around the waist.
She defended her title, defeating her sister Venus for the second year in a row, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
06 of 22
2004
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A gladiator ready for combat — and now under Nike — she stepped onto the court in a pleated dress with gold cutouts.
Williams failed to defend her title, famously losing to Maria Sharapova 1-6, 4-6.
07 of 22
2005
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Her pink-trimmed dress featured visible boning around the bodice area.
She had her earliest exit from the tournament since 1998, losing in the third round to Jill Craybas 3-6, 6-7.
08 of 22
2007
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She kept the color minimal in 2007, with a touch of blue on the Nike logo and along the skirt's hem.
In the quarterfinals, she lost to World No. 1 Justine Henin 4-6, 6-3, 3-6.
09 of 22
2008
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Her custom kit, paired with a headband, featured a two-layer pleated skirt and a gold Nike swoosh.
She lost in the finals to her sister Venus, 5-7, 64.
10 of 22
2009
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She elevated her 2009 design with intricate linework all over the dress.
In a rematch of the previous year's final, she defeated Venus 7-6, 6-2, and on the way to the title, she saved a match point in the semifinals against Elena Dementieva.
11 of 22
2010
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She matched her pink shorts to the accents on her dress and her laces.
Williams picked up her fourth title at SW19, beating Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2.
12 of 22
2011
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Her first Slam back from injury, she wore a simple white dress with vest-like black trim.
She lost to Marion Bartoli in the fourth round 3-6, 6-7.
13 of 22
2012
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On the heels of her first-ever loss in the round of 128 at the French Open, she chose to pair the Wimbledon white with a deep violet.
Williams won her fifth title, defeating Agnieszka Radwańska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
14 of 22
2013
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She wore a high-waisted dress with semi-sheer straps for her 2013 appearance.
Williams was upset in the fourth round by eventual finalist Sabine Lisicki, 2-6, 6-1, 4-6.
15 of 22
2014
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She returned with a design close to the previous year's dress, except the skirt was semi-sheer with a different hemline.
For the second year in a row, she lost in an upset to Alizé Cornet in the third round, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6.
16 of 22
2015
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She kept a similar design for all her 2015 kits, and at Wimbledon, her skirt was patterned with florals.
Williams won her fourth Grand Slam in a row, beating Garbiñe Muguruza 6-4, 6-4.
17 of 22
2016
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She was the vision of elegance in a high-neck, sleeveless dress in her bid for a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam.
Williams managed to accomplish the feat, beating Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 in a rematch of that year's Australian Open final.
18 of 22
2018
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Her second tournament back from maternity leave after giving birth to daughter Olympia, she wore a long-sleeved dress with black leggings.
She lost to Kerber in the finals, 3-6, 3-6.
19 of 22
2019
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She rocked a ribbed top and skirt set for another attempt at Grand Slam No. 24.
Unfortunately, she lost to Simona Halep in the finals, 2-6, 2-6.
20 of 22
2021
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After walking out in a long skirt, Williams revealed a flowing one-sleeved dress.
She injured herself in the first set of her opening match, withdrawing against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
21 of 22
2022
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A year later, she returned from the injury in a simple long-sleeved dress — with a bandage on her cheek.
She lost in the first round to Harmony Tan, 5-7, 6-1, 6-7.
22 of 22
2026
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Making her grand return to professional singles matches, she stepped onto Centre Court in an eyelet top and skirt.
She lost a tough match to Australia's Maya Joint, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6.
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