Serena and Venus Williams withdraw from Wimbledon doubles due to knee injury
Serena Williams has officially ended her Wimbledon campaign, withdrawing from the doubles tournament alongside her sister Venus following a knee injury.
The Wimbledon comeback for Serena Williams has officially concluded. On Saturday, 4 July 2026, the 44-year-old withdrew from the women’s doubles tournament, ending a highly anticipated campaign that saw her return to Grand Slam tennis after a near four-year layoff.
Williams had been scheduled to compete alongside her sister, Venus Williams. The duo, who share a history of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together—including six at the All England Club—had been granted a wild card into the draw. Their opening-round match against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra never took place. According to WTA tennis, the pair of Samantha Murray Sharan and Lanlana Tararudee replaced them in the draw following the announcement.
Media additions
The withdrawal stems from a knee injury sustained during a singles match on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. Serena Williams faced 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint in the first round, eventually falling 3-6, 7-6(6), 3-6. Williams noted after that contest that she had tweaked
her right knee during the first set. Following the loss, tournament organisers noted that Williams was not able to undertake
her post-match media duties.
Tournament officials had attempted to accommodate the recovery process. The doubles match was pushed back to allow Williams more time to heal, remaining unscheduled as late as Saturday morning to give the sisters every opportunity to take the court.
In a social media update, Williams shared evidence of the injury, including images of strapping on her leg and syringes containing fluid she stated had been drained from her knee.
"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 to be ready, but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete."
Serena Williams, via Instagram
Williams further expressed her gratitude toward the tournament staff.
"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…All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…"
Serena Williams, via Instagram
While the injury sidelined the sisters at Wimbledon, the event follows a trend of physical hurdles during the American's return to the sport. Earlier this summer, Williams partnered with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club, but that partnership ended prematurely when Mboko sustained an injury. A subsequent pairing with Karolina Muchova at the Berlin Open also concluded in an opening-round exit.
The absence of the Williams sisters marks the end of their activity at this year’s Championships. Venus Williams had previously entered the mixed doubles tournament alongside Kevin Krawietz, but the pair was eliminated on Friday, 3 July 2026, by Lloyd Glasspool and Tereza Mihalikova.
What to watch next
- Venus Williams: Expected to continue her season on the hard-court circuit, with appearances planned as a wild card in both Toronto and Washington, D.C.
- Serena Williams: Has not confirmed her immediate tournament schedule. However, in her statement, she hinted at future plans, stating:
All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you.
- The Tour: The tennis calendar now transitions toward the North American hard-court swing, concluding with the U.S. Open, which is scheduled to run from 30 August to 13 September 2026.
As the tour moves forward, uncertainty remains regarding where and when fans will next see the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion compete.
