Williams sisters' Wimbledon doubles return in doubt after Serena picks up injury in singles defeat to Maya Joint

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Serena Williams’ hopes of playing alongside her sister Venus in the Wimbledon doubles appear to be in doubt after she sustained a knee injury in her 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 singles defeat to Australia's Maya Joint on Tuesday.

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The Williams sisters, who are six-time Wimbledon doubles champions and 14-time major doubles winners, were due to reunite on the court for the first time since 2022.

However, Serena, 44, suffered knee swelling during her disappointing first-round loss to Joint on Centre Court.

"Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams," said Williams' agent Jill Smoller.

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"She left the site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week."

The Williams sisters have been the talk of SW19 since it was announced they would make a sensational return to the All England Club.

Serena subsequently decided to accept the singles entry at Wimbledon as a last-minute decision. That set her up for a first singles match since the 2022 US Open.

"I thought not every day Wimbledon holds a wildcard for someone," Serena told reporters on Sunday.

"I can name probably like a handful of people. I happened to be one of those people.

"I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I'll ever make it here again? This could be it."

Serena was given a standing ovation as she walked on to Centre Court on Tuesday to face world No. 87 Joint.

Serena, who last won Wimbledon in 2016, said this week that she intends to continue training and hopes to play at the US Open later this year.

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