Old guard boosts Wimbledon's enduring allure in battle for centre stage

Image source, EPA Image caption, Serena Williams is set to play in her first Grand Slam since 2022 By Jonathan Jurejko BBC Sport tennis news reporter Published 3 minutes ago The Williams sisters, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are back at Wimbledon. What year is it again? The mention of those names may make it feel like we're stuck in a timewarp - but, no, it is 2026 and some of the sport's greatest are returning to SW19, in one way or another. American icon Serena Williams, 44, is making a blockbuster singles comeback after four years away from the sport and also resumes her iconic doubles pairing with sister Venus, 46. British legend Murray is back at the scene of his greatest triumphs as part of Jack Draper's coaching team . Djokovic, meanwhile, is only a week younger than 39-year-old Murray yet is still chasing that elusive record 25th Grand Slam title. "It's very special to be here - we have quite a history here. It's nice to be back in 2026," said Venus Williams, who has won five singles and six doubles titles at the All England Club. As one of the highlights of the British sporting summer, Wimbledon never goes under the radar, but the presence of the old guard will help elevate the grass-court Grand Slam in a summer stacked with sporting events. Eyeballs are inevitably trained on the men's football World Cup, particularly with England still in the competition, while the women's T20 cricket World Cup and British Grand Prix are also jostling for the limelight. The appearance of the legends - along with younger superstars like Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, plus high-profile Britons Draper and Emma Raducanu - will ensure Wimbledon will remain at the centre of attention. "We're always unbelievably excited to be part of an exciting summer of sport," Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker told BBC World Service. "Every summer there are always other big events on and I think that does add to the buzz around sport in general. We do love being part of that." Williams given favourable Wimbledon start - who else plays who? Published 2 days ago Sinner seeks to resume dominance after French Open shock Published 21 hours ago Doubts over Draper & Raducanu - how will the Brits fare? Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Andy Murray has joined Jack Draper's coaching team for the grass-court season As two-time champion Murray well knows, there is nothing like a deep British run to get the All England Club buzzing over the fortnight. But the chances of a home player going far into the second week look slim. Former world number four Draper is the one with the biggest game to make an impact, but has struggled for court time over the past year because of a series of injuries. The 2024 US Open semi-finalist reaching the Eastbourne semi-finals in his comeback tournament was very promising, although the rigours of five-set matches will be a sterner examination of his fitness. Cameron Norrie, who is the only British seed (26th) in the men's d