Marcus Willis returns to Wimbledon with a new role and an old Centre Court story

Marcus Willis is back at Wimbledon in the men's doubles draw, 10 years after the 2016 Centre Court match against Roger Federer that made him a British cult figure. He and David Stevenson were scheduled to open against Joe Salisbury and Ariel Behar at SW19.

Willis' name is still tied to that second-round singles match, when the then world number 772 lost 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 to Federer but produced a lob that later earned BBC Shot of the Tournament recognition. The moment changed how the public saw him, even if Willis now frames it as only one part of a much longer personal and sporting journey.

The years since have not followed a simple comeback script. According to the BBC feature, Willis stepped away from tennis in 2018 because of injuries and the impact on his mental health, and during the pandemic he worked in a cousin's bricklaying business before eventually returning to professional competition.

Now ranked 64th in the world in the doubles context described by the source, Willis appears to be approaching the tour with a steadier rhythm. Family life, a podcast, and a more measured view of his career sit alongside the ambition to keep playing for as long as his body allows.