Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski has expressed disappointment over Serena Williams's decision to skip her post-match media duties following her first-round defeat at Wimbledon on July 3, 2026. Williams, who accepted a wildcard invitation from the All England Club, lost 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 to Australia's Maya Joint in what could be the final singles match of her career.
Williams skips press conference after defeat
Williams received a standing ovation as she left Centre Court but opted not to attend the mandatory press conference. Her agent later explained that a knee injury and lengthy physio treatment prevented her from fulfilling media obligations. However, Rusedski called the decision 'disappointing,' especially given that Williams needed a wildcard to enter the tournament.
'In my days, I don't think we had that luxury unless we were wheeled off in a wheelchair or we had some terrible incident happen to us like Sasha Zverev when he played Rafael Nadal a few years ago at the French Open,' Rusedski said on the Off Court podcast. 'But I think you'd have to do the press conference.'
Rusedski: 'Just say thank you'
Rusedski emphasised that Williams should have acknowledged Wimbledon for granting her a wildcard and credited her opponent. 'Just say, thank you so much to Wimbledon for giving me the wild card and this opportunity. Give credit to her opponent for coming through and just talk about the situation,' he said. He added that it is a 'responsibility of a great champion' to face the media after a loss.
'I think it's a responsibility of a great champion and every player usually gets a fine if they don't do the press conference. Maybe she was so upset, she didn't want to walk in there and say anything she regretted, but I kind of feel I'd like to hear from Serena,' Rusedski said.
Williams still hopes to play doubles with Venus
Williams is expected to compete in women's doubles with her sister Venus later in the tournament. Tournament director Jamie Baker confirmed that Wimbledon is being flexible to allow Serena time to recover from her knee injury. 'We are giving her as much time. Obviously we want her to play, if she possibly can,' Baker said. He noted that exceptional circumstances, such as injuries, can lead to schedule adjustments.
Baker also addressed security concerns, stating that Serena and Venus will play on main show courts due to their global star power. 'Serena and Venus, they are massive global stars so there is a lot of people that want to watch them. That [security] is a major consideration with scheduling,' he added.
