With a low-key press release at 8:23pm on a Sunday evening, Serena Williams was officially back.
It was typically understated from Wimbledon, the email headed only "further wildcards announced for The Championships".
Alongside the news that Jodie Burrage had withdrawn due to illness and Cornelia Oosthuizen would be in the women's wheelchair singles was the official confirmation that Williams had received a second wildcard.
The 44-year-old was already down as a doubles wildcard with her sister Venus. More surprising, though, was the announcement that Williams would also be playing singles at Wimbledon, where she has not won a match since 2019.
It’s a God-given gift she has, she’s ready to go, she’s hitting big and she’s really fit
Victoria Mboko on Serena Williams
It is almost four years since defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open - her most recent singles match - seemingly ushered Williams into retirement. She never confirmed as much, stating only that she was "evolving away" from tennis.
That was until the end of last year, when Williams registered again for the drug testing pool.
At Queen's earlier this month, 1,375 days after she last stepped onto a competitive tennis court, Williams returned alongside Victoria Mboko. The pair won their first match but the Canadian teenager then suffered a knee injury to end the run.
“She’s hitting great," Mboko said of her partner. "She has such great ball striking. It’s a God-given gift she has. She’s ready to go. She’s hitting big and she’s really fit.”
Williams then travelled to Berlin alongside Karolina Muchova and the pair lost their first-round match. She has been training at Wimbledon since but the true test will come next week.
Whatever happens, Williams insists there are no suffocating expectations.
"I've had enough pressure," she insisted. "It's really about my kids getting to see me play."
The questions are less about her doubles prospects, even if that will be a big test for the Williams sisters at the age of 44 and 46.
Two matches were enough for Williams to show she is still competitive with a partner. In her first match back at Queen's, Williams' serve topped 120mph and her groundstrokes looked as powerful as ever.
I don't need to win, I've won more than most people have in their whole lives ... I don't have anything to prove, I don't have anything to lose
Serena Williams
Her partnership with Venus is so ingrained that the pair will immediately have an advantage over the more last-minute pairings.
Williams has been open about her use of weight-loss drugs and she has moved well so far, but that will be examined far more intensely by a singles opponent.
The big serve on grass will be key and her presence alone will be enough to unsettle some players. With a fervent crowd behind her, Williams can perhaps earn herself a better Wimbledon farewell than a first-round defeat to Harmony Tan in 2022.
However, dreams of a 24th Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court are surely just that. Williams is the oldest player in the draw by six years.
With no protection in the draw as an unseeded player, Williams could face Alex Eala in the second round. Win that and it would likely be defending champion Iga Swiatek next.
Swiatek will not fear Williams, who is almost 20 years their senior. That jump in speed, intensity and stamina would likely prove too much for the American.
However, if the announcement of her singles participation was subdued, nothing else about her presence at Wimbledon will be. There will be huge interest in every swing of her racket.
Tournament organisers will be thrilled. With Carlos Alcaraz out injured, some additional stardust is very welcome. They will hope she is here to stay, but for Williams it is the ultimate free hit.
"I don't need to win," Williams said. "I've won more than most people have in their whole lives.
"That is not important to me and it's important that I keep reminding myself of that. I don't have anything to prove, I don't have anything to lose and everything is just to gain."
