Serena Williams has withdrawn from her doubles match with her sister, Venus Williams, at Wimbledon due to a right knee injury. The 44-year-old Serena Williams was injured during her singles return earlier in the week — in a three-set loss.
Statement from Serena Williams
“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 Williams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete,” Serena Williams said in an Instagram post.
The post included images of four syringes that Serena Williams said show “the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match.” An accompanying video showed her walking with strapping up and down her right leg and what appeared to be one of her daughters holding a cane for her.
However, with the U.S. Open approaching, Serena Williams indicated she could play again somewhere else soon. “All I can say,” Serena Williams said, “is stay tuned to a city near you.”
The Williams sisters — Venus Williams is 46 — were scheduled to play Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. It was the only first-round doubles match that was not scheduled earlier in the week, having been pushed back to give Serena Williams more time to recover.
Serena Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday. Venus Williams played in the mixed doubles tournament Friday together with Kevin Krawietz, losing in straight sets to Tereza Mihalikova and Lloyd Glasspool.
The Williams sisters are six-time champions as partners in women’s doubles at Wimbledon.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.