Serena Williams withdraws from Wimbledon 2026 doubles due to knee injury

Serena and Venus Williams have officially withdrawn from Wimbledon 2026. This ends Serena's tournament run after her singles loss earlier this week.
By Newsroom | Sports, London |

London, England - The much-anticipated return of Serena Williams to the Wimbledon doubles court alongside her sister, Venus Williams, has been called off. The duo officially withdrew from the women's doubles tournament on Saturday, mere hours before their scheduled first-round match against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio. The withdrawal stems from a knee injury sustained by Serena during her singles comeback match earlier in the week.

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Serena Williams confirmed a knee tweak suffered during her singles match, leading to the withdrawal from the doubles competition with her sister Venus.

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The elder Williams sister, Venus, had also competed in the mixed doubles with partner Kevin Krawietz, but they were eliminated in their opening round match on Friday. This withdrawal marks the definitive end of Serena Williams' participation in this year's Wimbledon Championships.

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Injury Casts Shadow Over Comeback

Serena Williams, aged 44, had recently returned to Grand Slam singles play after a hiatus of nearly four years. Her singles debut ended in a three-set loss to the 20-year-old Australian, Maya Joint, on Tuesday. Following that match, Williams indicated she had aggravated her right knee in the first set. Despite efforts to recover and compete in doubles, she ultimately announced her withdrawal via Instagram, posting images of herself with a knee brace. Her agent, Jill Smolder, corroborated that the injury occurred during the singles match.

Williams and her sister Venus, widely regarded as one of the most formidable doubles pairings in tennis history, were slated to face Sierra and Osorio on Saturday morning. Had they proceeded and won, they would have encountered the ninth-seeded team of Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs in the subsequent round.

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The timeline of events indicates that the singles match against Maya Joint took place on June 30th, with the doubles withdrawal occurring on July 4th, a day after the singles loss and shortly before the scheduled Saturday match. Williams' absence from the doubles tournament effectively concludes her competitive presence at Wimbledon for 2026. The future trajectory of her tennis return remains undetermined.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Serena Williams withdraw from the Wimbledon 2026 doubles tournament?
Serena Williams withdrew because of a right knee injury. She hurt her knee during her singles match on June 30th and could not recover in time for the doubles match.
Q: Who were Serena and Venus Williams supposed to play in the Wimbledon doubles?
The sisters were scheduled to play against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio on Saturday, July 4th. The match was canceled after the official announcement of the withdrawal.
Q: Is Serena Williams still playing in the 2026 Wimbledon Championships?
No, Serena Williams is no longer playing in the tournament. Her withdrawal from the doubles event marks the end of her competitive participation at Wimbledon this year.
Q: How did Serena Williams get the knee injury during her Wimbledon return?
The injury happened during her singles match against Maya Joint on June 30th. Serena stated she felt the knee tweak during the first set of that game.