Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker stated that officials will provide Serena Williams "as much time as possible" to recover and prepare for her scheduled doubles match with her sister Venus.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, received wildcards for both singles and doubles at this year's tournament, marking her return to court after a four-year absence. She was defeated in a three-set singles match by 20-year-old Maya Joint, sustaining a right knee injury during the contest. This injury has raised concerns about her ability to compete in the doubles.
Williams withdrew from her post-match press conference on Tuesday and has not yet confirmed her participation in the doubles. Traditionally, the ladies' doubles first round takes place on the first Thursday and Friday of the tournament. Her absence from the schedule on these days had drawn attention.
"We want her to play if she, if she possibly can," Baker said Friday morning. He clarified that the specified days for first-round matches are guidelines, intended to help keep the tournament on schedule. However, "exceptional circumstances, whether it's weather or injuries," can lead to schedule adjustments. Baker assured that such flexibility would not jeopardize the overall competition timeline.
Serena Williams remains officially listed in the ladies' doubles draw. Baker confirmed that Venus Williams would not be able to find a new partner if Serena withdraws at this stage.
Tournament officials are considering placing the Williams sisters' doubles match on one of the tournament's main show courts, a decision influenced by the significant global interest in the pair. Williams' singles match against Joint on Centre Court garnered substantial viewership, with ESPN reporting its largest Day 2 audience ever and most-viewed first-round match.
"Serena and Venus, they're massive global stars, so there's a lot of people who want to see (them)," Baker noted, emphasizing the balance involved in scheduling. "Obviously the show courts at the start of the week are definitely prioritised for the singles matches, but we'll see how it shapes up tomorrow."
Security and crowd management are also significant factors in scheduling decisions for high-profile matches. "The first thing we think about is numbers of people, and safety," Baker added.
The Williams sisters have a formidable record at Wimbledon, having won the doubles title six times among their 14 Grand Slam doubles championships. Williams has publicly acknowledged her race against time to be fit for the doubles competition. She posted on social media Wednesday, stating, "I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles with Venus."