Wimbledon: Why Serena Williams will miss doubles on her return
What's the story
Serena Williams, the 23-time singles Grand Slam champion, has withdrawn from the 2026 Wimbledon doubles event due to a knee injury. The American tennis legend was set to team up with her sister Venus in the first round of the competition on Saturday. However, just hours before their match, Serena announced that her knee had not recovered enough for her to play.
Injury details
Knee injury during Maya joint clash
Serena sustained the knee injury during her first-round defeat against Australia's Maya Joint in the Wimbledon singles event on Tuesday. This was Serena's first singles match since the 2022 US Open, marking the end of a four-year hiatus. The sisters, who have won Wimbledon doubles six times, were scheduled to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio after being given a wild card entry for the event.
Emotional farewell
'Heartbroken to withdraw from doubles'
"I'm heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles," the 44-year-old wrote on Instagram. "Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus Williams once more meant the world to me." Serena added that she did everything possible, but her knee just wasn't ready for competition.
Comeback journey
Comeback campaign at Queen's Club
Serena made a stunning return to tennis at Queen's Club last month, where she played doubles with Canadian Victoria Mboko. However, an injury to Mboko cut short their run in the Wimbledon warm-up event after they won their first match. Later, Serena lost in the first round of the Berlin doubles with Karolina Muchova before accepting Wimbledon's offer of a wild card into singles last week.
Family support
Serena hints at more comebacks
Serena was keen to play in front of her two young daughters, Olympia and Adira. Despite the setback, she hinted that her comeback tour is not over yet. "Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful... All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you...," she added.