Serena Williams has confirmed that she will not participate in the women's doubles at Wimbledon after suffering a knee injury. The 44-year-old tennis legend, who came out of a four-year retirement earlier this summer, competed in singles at the All England Club for the first time since 2021, accepting a last-minute wildcard. She lost in three sets to Australian Maya Joint on Centre Court, sustaining an injury that cast doubt on her doubles participation.
Planned Reunion with Venus Williams
Williams was scheduled to play alongside her sister Venus in the doubles draw for the first time since 2022 and the first time at Wimbledon since their 2016 triumph, which was their most recent major doubles victory. The pair were set to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the first round. However, their match was absent from Thursday and Friday's orders of play, despite those days being designated for the first round of women's doubles. It later appeared on Saturday's schedule with a court listed as 'to be announced' as officials awaited Williams' fitness update.
Official Withdrawal Announcement
In an Instagram post, Williams announced her withdrawal. 'I'm heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,' she wrote. 'Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could to be ready, but unfortunately my knee just isn't ready to compete. I'm especially grateful to tournament director Jamie Baker and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here. Thank you to the fans after your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful. All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you.'
Details of the Injury
The post included a carousel of photos and videos showing Williams with her knee heavily bandaged, hobbling through the corridor of her London accommodation. She also displayed syringes containing 'the fluid they drained from my knee after the singles match,' highlighting the severity of the injury. As a result, Sierra and Osorio will now face Murray Sharan and Lanlana Tararudee, the British-Argentine pair.
