By Carolyn Coene
Serena Williams’ return to Wimbledon was shrouded with concern after the 23-time Grand Slam champion tweaked her right knee during her singles match at the All England Club, raising uncertainty for her anticipated doubles reunion with sister Venus.
The 44-year-old fell 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 to 20-year-old Maya Joint on Centre Court and later skipped her media duties. Williams “tweaked” her knee towards the end of the first set and was cleared by medical staff to leave the site on her own, according to her agent Jill Smoller.
Smoller said Williams is doing everything she can to recover in time for the doubles match later in the week.
Williams later addressed the injury via social media, thanking Wimbledon for the wildcard and expressing gratitude that her daughters were able to watch her compete again.
“I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card – and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.”
She also congratulated Maya Joint and thanked fans for their support. She emphasized that she will try everything to be ready for doubles.
“I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles…”
“Congratulations to Maya Joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old.”
While she did not appear seriously hindered during play, the risk of injury is heightened for players returning after long layoffs, especially after four years on grass courts, which can be slippery early in the tournament. Several players have already endured falls this week, including World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Williams’ movement appeared more cautious at times, with less aggressive lateral running and more tentative footwork as she adjusted to the surface.
Serena and Venus are scheduled to play doubles on Thursday against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7412223/2026/07/01/serena-williams-injury-wimbledon-doubles-venus/