Serena and Venus Williams have been forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon doubles competition due to a knee injury sustained by Serena during her singles return earlier in the week. The sisters were set to compete together in a Grand Slam doubles event for the first time in nearly four years.
Serena Williams announced her withdrawal via an Instagram post, expressing her heartbreak. "I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete," she stated. Accompanying her post were images of syringes used to drain fluid from her knee after her singles match, and a video showing her walking with a heavily strapped right leg.
Despite the setback, Williams indicated a potential return to competition soon. "All I can say is, stay tuned to a city near you," she wrote.
Serena Williams, 44, was defeated in her singles return on Tuesday in a three-set match against 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia. The doubles match against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra was the only first-round doubles match not scheduled earlier in the week, having been postponed to allow Serena more time to recover.
The Williams sisters, with Venus Williams being 46, have a decorated history as a doubles team. They are six-time Wimbledon doubles champions and have won a total of 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals together, never losing a final. Their last Grand Slam doubles appearance together was at the 2022 U.S. Open.