Serena Williams Withdraws from Wimbledon Doubles Over Knee Injury

Serena Williams Withdraws from Wimbledon Doubles Over Knee Injury

Tennis legend Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Wimbledon women’s doubles competition after suffering a knee injury, bringing her much-anticipated comeback at the tournament to an early end.

Williams and her sister, Venus Williams, had been scheduled to play their opening-round doubles match on Saturday after receiving a wildcard entry. However, Serena announced just hours before the match that her knee had not recovered sufficiently for her to compete.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the 44-year-old expressed disappointment over the decision.

“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” she wrote, explaining that fluid buildup in her injured knee made it impossible to continue.

The injury occurred during her first-round singles defeat to Maya Joint on Tuesday. The match marked Serena’s first Wimbledon singles appearance since returning from retirement and her first singles outing at the tournament since the 2022 US Open.

The Williams sisters, six-time Wimbledon doubles champions, were due to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the opening round.

Serena revealed that doctors drained fluid from her knee following the singles match, sharing images of the medical procedure alongside footage of herself wearing a heavily bandaged knee.

“The good news is my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I just wasn’t able to get it ready for doubles,” she said.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion described her return to competitive tennis as a special experience, saying the opportunity to play alongside her sister once again meant a great deal to her.

The withdrawal raises fresh questions about Williams’ fitness ahead of the US Open later this year. However, she hinted that her comeback may not be over, thanking fans for their support and adding, “All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you.”

Serena Williams Withdraws from Wimbledon Doubles Over Knee Injury