Serena and Venus Williams withdraw from Wimbledon doubles due to knee injury
Tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams have officially withdrawn from the Wimbledon doubles tournament following a knee injury Serena sustained during her singles match.
Serena Williams’ return to the All England Club has concluded prematurely. On Saturday, 4 July 2026, the 44-year-old withdrew from the women’s doubles tournament alongside her sister, Venus, citing a knee injury. The announcement, delivered via social media shortly before a scheduled practice session, officially ends the pair’s campaign at this year's championships.
The injury originated during a first-round singles match on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, against 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint. Although Serena Williams completed the three-set match—a 3-6, 7-6(6), 3-6 loss—she sustained the knee issue during the opening set. She did not attend the subsequent post-match media availability, a move tournament organizers later clarified was due to her physical inability to perform the duty.
Media additions
Tournament officials actively attempted to assist the sisters' participation by repeatedly delaying their first-round doubles match against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. The Williams match remained unscheduled until it was eventually listed for Saturday with a start time of not before 16:30 BST.
To provide context on the severity of the injury, Williams shared documentation on Instagram, including images of syringes used to drain excess fluid from the joint. "The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match…yikes!"
she wrote. "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."
Her post also featured a video of herself navigating with a cane, assisted by her daughter.
Reflecting on the broader experience of her comeback, Williams expressed appreciation for the support she received during the tournament. "Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me,"
she wrote. "I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here."
Historical Legacy and Tournament Context
The withdrawal halts a highly anticipated reunion for the sisters, who have historically been a dominant force in professional doubles. The pair has secured 14 Grand Slam titles as a team, including six victories at Wimbledon. Their previous appearance as a doubles team at a Grand Slam occurred at the 2022 U.S. Open.
Analysts observed that such physical setbacks are not entirely unexpected given the nature of the sport's highest levels. "Serena is a little banged up in the knee, had a little bit of a problem in her match, which is normal when you haven’t played for almost four years,"
Andy Roddick noted on ESPN.
Future Implications
Following the withdrawal, the doubles draw will proceed with Britain’s Samantha Murray Sharan and Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee serving as replacements for the Williams sisters. For the sisters, the tournament has concluded; Venus Williams had already exited the mixed doubles draw on Friday after a defeat alongside partner Kevin Krawietz.
While Venus Williams has indicated plans to continue her season in North America, with scheduled appearances in Washington, D.C., and Toronto, Serena Williams’ immediate itinerary remains unconfirmed. She did not announce a specific tournament schedule, though she offered a closing message to supporters: "All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you."
