LONDON — In a disappointing turn of events, Serena Williams has officially withdrawn from her doubles match alongside sister Venus at Wimbledon due to a troubling right knee injury.
The 44-year-old tennis icon sustained the injury during her singles comeback earlier this week, experiencing a hard-fought three-set defeat.
“It breaks my heart to step back from doubles. Coming back to compete has been an incredible journey, and the chance to play alongside [Venus Williams] was tremendously special to me. I gave it my all, but sadly my knee isn’t ready for competition,” Serena shared in an emotional Instagram post.
The post featured striking images of four syringes used to drain fluid from her knee post-match. A heartbreaking video showed Serena walking with support and her daughter holding a cane for her.
Looking ahead to the U.S. Open, Serena hinted at a potential return to competition soon.
“All I can say,” she remarked, “is stay tuned for updates from a city near you.”
The Williams sisters—Venus, now 46—were set to face off against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. This particular first-round doubles match was notably delayed to allow Serena additional recovery time.
In her singles match, Serena was narrowly defeated by 20-year-old Maya Joint from Australia with a score of 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
Meanwhile, Venus participated in the mixed doubles event on Friday, partnering with Kevin Krawietz, but unfortunately lost in straight sets to Tereza Mihalikova and Lloyd Glasspool.
The Williams sisters have a remarkable legacy as six-time champions in women’s doubles at Wimbledon.
