Serena Williams Wimbledon return is over: Injury prevents her and Venus Williams competing in doubles

Saturday, 04 July 2026 at 17:11

Serena Williams standing on Centre Court at Wimbledon, with the scoreboard in the background.

Serena Williams will not be taking to the court again at Wimbledon following a knee injury picked up in her first round singles match against Maya Joint. She and her sister, Venus Williams, has pulled out of the doubles ahead of their opening round contest.

They were supposed to play South American duo Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio but the tie kept being pushed back. Originally planned for Friday, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was given the most time possible to recover for the contest with fans patiently waiting for her to take to court.

She was labelled as a doubt even though there was no sign of her in pain on court against Joint. Williams pushed the 20-year-old the distance on Centre Court but was unable to prevail.

Williams would then not partake her media duties due to this knee injury which brought a lot of bemused looks. This injury has turned out to be a lot more serious that first expected with her forced to end her Wimbledon journey earlier than expected.

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Williams out of doubles

The 44-year-old released the news on Instagram: “I'm heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles," she wrote. "Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me.

"I did everything I could to be ready, but unfortunately my knee just isn't ready to compete. I'm especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here. Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful…..

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"All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you... The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match...yikes! The good news is my knee shouldn't swell or collect that much fluid again."

There will be much anticipation among fans as they await Williams next move. With the North American hardcourt swing coming up, she will likely continue her comeback in the states.

Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist

Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.

Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.

He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.

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