KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Junior Caminero is bringing his sweet swing back to the All-Star Home Run Derby.
The Tampa Bay Rays slugger committed Tuesday to participating in the event in Philadelphia on July 13.
Caminero put on a show last year with his multicolored bat, advancing to the final round before losing to Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh 18-15 in a long-ball hitting showcase that boosted ratings on ESPN.
The 22-year-old third baseman from the Dominican Republic went on to hit 45 home runs last season, finishing sixth in Major League Baseball behind Raleigh's 60 homers. He had 22 home runs this year, entering a game Tuesday night at Kansas City.
In an era with faster-paced games, MLB is eliminating the clock from its Home Run Derby this summer. Each hitter will have 20 swings in the first round of this year’s contest. The change coincides with a switch in broadcaster to Netflix from ESPN, which had televised the event since 1994.
A player who homers on swing 20 will keep on swinging until he doesn’t connect for a long ball. The top four hitters advance, with distance of the longest homer used a tiebreaker.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout recently said it is unlikely he will participate in the event.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero hits an RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero celebrates his three-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Thursday, June 25, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Thursday, June 25, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
LONDON (AP) — Serena Williams showed plenty of what made her a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion in her first professional singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old Williams wasn’t quite able to dominate like she used to, though, and was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by an opponent less than half her age, 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia, in the opening round of Wimbledon.
“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams, who did not meet with media after the match, said in a statement released by Wimbledon organizers. “The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
Williams displayed the same powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes that led her to seven Wimbledon singles titles but the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle the American standout’s pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond Williams' reach on Centre Court.
“I don’t know what just happened, to be honest,” Joint said. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up until like 2 a.m. just thinking about it.
“She has such an aura, she’s just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,” Joint added. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”
While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
Williams has 98 career victories in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint’s first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club after losing in the opening round last year.
But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.
Williams, who has no singles ranking after being out for so long, was given wild card invitations by Wimbledon organizers to play singles and also doubles with older sister Venus. Her doubles match will come later in the week.
Williams has said that having her two daughters off from school inspired her comeback and it marked the first time that her youngest daughter, Adira, who is almost three, saw her play singles. Adira sat next to her 8-year-old sister, Olympia in the front row of Serena’s players’ box.
Williams was given a standing ovation as she walked on court before the match started under a closed roof and several supporters held up signs with messages like “Welcome Back” and one wore a T-shirt with the text “Unstoppable Queen.”
Williams executed a delicate topspin lob winner early on and then cranked out a 121 mph ace to hold for 3-3 in the first set. But Williams also had a costly double-fault which led to the only break of the first set.
In the second set, Williams came back from 0-40 and saved four break points to hold for 6-5. Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand approach winner. Another big serve -- clocking in at 122 mph – set up Serena’s first set point, which she converted when Joint missed a forehand long.
After winning the set, Williams pumped her fist calmly.
But Joint took control early in the third and a forehand from Williams sailed long on Joint’s third match point to conclude the encounter after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
Williams then smiled as she walked off the court to loud applause.
Williams and Joint both had 37 unforced errors, while Joint led 40-26 in winners.
After the opening day featured wins for No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, along with Novak Djokovic, French Open champion Alexander Zverev and defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek made it into the second round on Tuesday.
In a match between hard servers, the second-seeded Zverev beat Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).
Swiatek, who had her father and sister looking on from the Royal Box, struggled with her serve and committed nine double-faults before overcoming Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
No. 2 Elena Rybakina also advanced, beating Lois Boisson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Ben Shelton, a quarterfinalist here last year, lost to 140th-ranked Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in five sets, going out 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9).
Also, 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (7), 7-6 (16), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). It was the final Wimbledon match for Wawrinka, who plans to retire at the end of the year.
AP Sports Writers Mattias Karen and Ken Maguire contributed to this report.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serena Williams of the United States greets the audience as she leaves after losing to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States serves against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Maya Joint of Australia plays a forehand against Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States celebrates winning a point against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Venus Williams of the United States and her husband Andrea Preti stand on the royal box to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian stand with their daughters Olympia and Adira on the stands, as they wait to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian and their daughters Olympia and Adira watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States enters the centre court to play against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States, left, arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
