Serena Williams has withdrawn from the doubles draw at Wimbledon after sustaining a knee injury in her singles match earlier this week. Her sister Venus Williams must also exit the tournament as a result.
Serena announced the decision in an Instagram post on July 4. “I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” she wrote. “Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams 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.”
She shared images showing bandaging on her left knee and four syringes used to drain fluid after her loss to Maya Joint. “The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match…yikes!” Serena added. She expressed hope of returning during the hard-court season.
Venus lost in the first round of mixed doubles but could face a fine of £37,000 for skipping a post-match press conference. Serena avoided a similar penalty by providing timely clarification on her condition.
