Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Wimbledon women's doubles, ending hopes of a highly anticipated reunion with her sister Venus. The 23-time grand slam champion suffered a knee injury during her first-round singles match against Maya Joint, which she lost 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, and has been unable to recover in time for the doubles.
Injury Details and Withdrawal
Williams twisted her knee in the first set of her singles return, her first competitive match in four years since retiring after the 2022 US Open. Despite intensive efforts to recover, she announced her withdrawal on social media, stating: "I'm heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn't ready to compete."
The Williams sisters had been scheduled to face Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra on Saturday evening. However, the match was listed as TBA with a not-before 4.30pm slot, and organisers had held off scheduling other first-round doubles matches to accommodate them. Britain's Samantha Murray Sharan and Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee have now replaced the Williams sisters in the draw.
Historic Reunion Hopes Dashed
This was to be a monumental occasion: the first time Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, competed together since the 2022 US Open, and their first Wimbledon doubles appearance since winning the title in 2016. Despite prioritising singles throughout their careers, they are one of the greatest doubles teams of all time, having won 14 grand slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.
Williams had returned to competition in recent weeks, playing doubles at Queen's Club and Berlin. Wimbledon left its final singles wildcard available until the last moment, with Williams accepting a day before the deadline. After her singles loss, she confirmed the knee issue and did not train on-site for five days.
Impact and Future
Serena's emotional salute to the Centre Court crowd after her singles loss on Monday now appears to be her final appearance on Wimbledon's grass this year, and possibly in her career. Venus had been scheduled to train at 2.30pm and Serena at 4pm on Saturday, but the injury proved too severe. Williams expressed gratitude to tournament director Jamie Baker and the tournament team for giving her every opportunity to recover, and thanked fans for their support, adding: "All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you …" hinting at possible future appearances.
