Serena Williams suffered a three-set defeat in her return to singles competition at Wimbledon on Tuesday night and picked up a knee injury that could jeopardize her planned doubles partnership with sister Venus later this week.
Match Details and Injury
The 23-time Grand Slam champion played her first singles match in almost four years on Centre Court, losing 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 to Australian star Maya Joint. The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion did not complete her post-match press conference; instead, a statement was issued to on-site media stating: “Unfortunately Serena Williams will not be able to undertake media this evening.”
Quotes from Williams were provided, in which she said: “It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
Knee Injury Confirmed
The All England Club confirmed that the 44-year-old American will not face the standard fine of up to £37,000, as players can skip media commitments due to injury or illness. A statement from Williams' agent, Jill Smoller, shared via the club said: “Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams. She left site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week.”
Impact on Doubles with Venus
Williams is expected to team up with her sister Venus in doubles later this week, but the knee injury casts doubt on that plan. The pair have won six Wimbledon doubles titles together, most recently in 2016.
