LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Serena Williams’ bid for a fairytale return to Wimbledon was shattered by Australia’s Maya Joint as the American legend’s first singles match in four years ended in a 6-3, 6-7 (6/8) 6-3 defeat on Tuesday.

Williams has captured the imagination of the sports world with her sensational comeback, but there was no storybook chapter to add to her astonishing career at the All England Club.

Serena was the second-oldest player to feature in the Wimbledon women’s singles in the Open era after Martina Navratilova, who reached the second round aged 47 in 2004.

The 44-year-old, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, competed gamely but after so long away it was no surprise that she couldn’t quite roll back the years to subdue an inspired opponent on Centre Court.

“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” said Williams in a short statement released after she declined to undergo her media duties.

“The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”

She saved two match points and took a tense tussle lasting two hours and 22 minutes to a deciding set, which she led by a break before Joint stormed back to spoil the party.

Williams’ Wimbledon adventure isn’t over yet as she is also playing in the doubles with her sister Venus.

Making a long run in that event would still prove Serena’s return was more than such a flight of fancy.

Motivated by a desire to play in front of her young children, Williams had come out of retirement earlier in June.

She played doubles events at Queen’s Club and Berlin before accepting a wild card entry into the Wimbledon singles.

Her last Grand Slam match was the US Open third round defeat against Ajla Tomljanovic that seemed to bring the curtain down on Serena’s career when she said she was “evolving away” from tennis.

But after 1,462 days away from Wimbledon since losing to Harmony Tan in the first round in 2022, Williams was back at the tournament she dominated in her prime with 11 final appearances.

She was greeted warmly by the packed crowd, although she may not have heard the full volume of the reception as she arrived on court wearing headphones.

Under the closed roof, camera phone flashes lit up the famous old arena as fans snapped pictures of one of the sport’s most iconic stars.

Serena’s daughters Olympia and Adira, her husband Alexis Ohanian and Venus were all watching from the players’ box.

Cheers rang out as Williams prepared to face Joint’s opening serve in the first game and the noise was even louder when she won that point.

Joint ignored the din to hold serve, but Serena responded with a perfectly weighted lob in the next game to gasps of delight.

When Joint, 20, was born in April 2006, Serena had already won seven Grand Slam singles titles.

The world number 87 had won just once in her previous 14 matches.

But Joint was unfazed by the occasion and she broke Williams in the eighth game before serving out the first set to groans from the crowd.

After Joint broke in the first game of the second set, it looked like Williams would bow out tamely.

She had other ideas, clenching her fists in delight after unleashing a brilliant passing shot to break Joint for the first time in the sixth game.

Joint broke again for a 4-3 lead, but once more Williams roared back with another break.

A nerve-jangling tie-break swung Williams’ way when she saved a match point with a nerveless winner before capitalising on a Joint miscue to level the match.

Serena broke first in the decider, but Joint hit back with a pair of breaks to move 4-2 ahead.

Raging against the dying of the light, Williams shrieked in frustration when Joint brought up another match point and when a forehand from the American drifted long, the dream of another Wimbledon title was over for now.

Williams, who last won a Grand Slam crown at the 2017 Australian Open, departed quickly, waving to the crowd before leaving the stage almost as suddenly as she returned.