Venus Williams, Jamie Murray, Coco Gauff, Jack Sock

LONDON — Just moments after the final scheduled match concluded on No. 1 Court on Friday, an announcement was made. There would be one more match that evening.

Few left their seats and a palpable buzz spread over the stadium as the fans waited for the players to take the court. As word circulated around the grounds at the All England Club, others made their way into the stadium to come catch a glimpse.

In their debut together, Venus Williams and Jamie Murray would be taking on Alicja Rosolska and Michael Venus in a first-round mixed doubles match.

Williams said playing with Murray was something she had wanted to do “forever,” but joked that he was “hard to get.” The 42-year-old had arrived at Wimbledon not even planning on playing at all, but had a change of heart once she saw the grass. Her coach texted Murray at the last minute and he agreed to play with her — something both seemed thrilled to have the chance to do.

The superstar pairing of Williams, an 11-time champion at Wimbledon in singles and doubles, playing in her first match since August, and Murray, the local favorite and seven-time major winner in doubles and mixed, instantly became must-see viewing.

They more than lived up to the hype in a dramatic three-set victory that lasted well into the night, and required the roof to be closed for lighting. When it was over, the crowd — almost all of whom remained until the final point — showered them with a rousing ovation.

“It was a great experience, [getting to] play with Venus Williams,” Murray said after. “When am I going to get the chance to do that?”

With the absences of so many household names before the second week at the All England Club, due to upsets, COVID and the banning of Russian and Belarusian players, it was a much-needed dose of star power at the tournament.

It also served as a reminder that mixed doubles — which also includes a Coco Gauff and Jack Sock team — might just be the most entertaining tennis you’re not yet watching at the All England Club.

Mixed doubles doesn’t exactly get much attention during the Grand Slams, but every now and then there is a star-studded pairing too compelling to be ignored by the masses. Such was the case for Williams’ and Murray’s younger siblings — you know, Serena and Andy — who teamed up at the All England Club in 2019 and reached the third round.

While Williams-Murray teams are typically featured on show courts, mixed doubles matches are often relegated to the outer courts and considered…