Serena Williams sustained a knee injury during her comeback to singles action at Wimbledon on Tuesday evening, potentially jeopardising her plans to partner sister Venus in doubles later this week.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion contested her first singles match in nearly four years on Centre Court, enduring a narrow 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 defeat to Australian Maya Joint. The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion did not fulfil her post-match press conference obligations following the encounter.
Statement and Media Duties
A statement was issued to on-site media, which read: "Unfortunately Serena Williams will not be able to undertake media this evening." Quotes from Williams were provided.
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."
The All England Club has subsequently confirmed that the American icon, 44, will not incur the standard fine of up to £37,000, as players may forgo media duties due to injury or illness. They also verified the news of her knee problem.
Injury Details and Recovery
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."
At 44 years of age, Williams returned to competitive action last month in doubles at Queen's, partnering Victoria Mboko. The pair claimed victory in their opening match before being forced to withdraw after Mboko sustained an injury during a singles fixture.
The former world No. 1 subsequently joined forces with Karolina Muchova in Berlin, where they suffered a first-round defeat. Williams had not featured in a singles match until Tuesday evening, however, when she spent two hours and 22 minutes on court before surrendering an early-break advantage in the deciding set.
Doubles Prospects
Williams and her sister Venus, who have claimed the doubles title at Wimbledon on six occasions, are anticipated to contest their first-round match on Friday. The pair last lifted the trophy together a decade ago, though it remains uncertain whether the 44-year-old will have recovered sufficiently to take to the court in time.
