Serena Williams has withdrawn from her Wimbledon doubles match with her sister Venus due to a right knee injury. The 44-year-old athlete sustained the injury during her singles return earlier in the week, which concluded with a three-set defeat.
Serena shared her disappointment on Instagram, stating, “I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. 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 but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete.” Her post included images of four syringes, which she explained were used to drain fluid from her knee following the singles match. A video also accompanied the post, showing her walking with a strapped right leg and one of her daughters holding a cane for her.
Despite this setback, Serena hinted at a potential return to the courts elsewhere soon, alluding to the upcoming U.S. Open. She remarked, “All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you.”
The Williams sisters, with Venus being 46, were slated to face Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. Their match was the only first-round doubles match not scheduled earlier in the week, allowing Serena additional recovery time.
Earlier in the tournament, Serena lost to Maya Joint of Australia, with scores of 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3. Venus participated in the mixed doubles on Friday with Kevin Krawietz, facing a straight-set loss to Tereza Mihalikova and Lloyd Glasspool. The Williams sisters have claimed the women’s doubles title at Wimbledon six times as partners.
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