Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback has been brought to a premature end after the 44-year-old was forced to withdraw from her first-round doubles match with sister Venus Williams due to a knee injury.
With a combined age of 90, the tennis legends were set to play their first match together in four years against Solana Sierra and Camilla Osorio. Serena returned to singles on Tuesday, but injured her knee in a defeat to Maya Joint.
“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” Williams posted on Instagram. “Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus 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.”
Elsewhere, Alexandra Eala made more history for the Philippines as the 21-year-old rising star stunned defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek to extend her record run to the fourth round. Eala, the 29th seed, won 7-6 6-2 in two hours and 14 minutes for the biggest win of her blossoming career as well as the most significant upset of this year’s Championships.
Meawhile, Arthur Fery, the last British player left standing in the singles, takes on Zizou Bergs looking to extend his run to the fourth round, and there’s an all-American clash between last year’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova and former grand slam champion Madison Keys.
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Arthur Fery and Zizou Bergs into fourth-set tiebreak
Arthur Fery is not going down without a fight in the fourth set. He breaks back, then has a look at set point to force the decider as Zizou Bergs commits a double fault. Relief for Bergs, though, as he steadies behind serve to get through to the decider.
Arthur Fery trails Zizou Bergs by two sets to one
The 23-year-old wildcard is getting lots of support from the fans hanging over the balcony on Court 18, but he was always going to face a tough ask against the Belgian Zizou Bergs. After Fery battled back in the second, Bergs has assumed control. He leads by a set and break.
Alexandra Eala on inspiring the Philippines
“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and, and knowing that we’re all in this together.
“So this is, goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks.
“It means the world.”
Venus Williams returned to mixed doubles yesterday
Venus WIlliams, 46, played in the mixed doubles tournament on Friday together with Kevin Krawietz, losing in straight sets to Tereza Mihalikova and Lloyd Glasspool.
Emotional Alexandra Eala reacts to victory over Iga Swiatek
“I don’t know how to describe it. I’ve never been to the second week of a grand slam and it’s amazing for me.
“Iga is a phenomenal player and a really nice person, so I’m really grateful to be able to share Centre Court with her.
“I’m really emotional. Maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many slams or maybe someone like Serena or Venus, this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines….
“I went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and shoes and my chubby cheeks. This is everything.”
Serena Williams likely to continue comeback at US Open
Serena Williams posted a series of photos on Instagram showing her right leg wrapped in bandages and revealing the fluid that had to be drained from her knee following her first singles match since the 2022 US Open. Williams also appeared to be receiving treatment to her left leg in the photos she published.
Williams suggested that her comeback will continue, though, with a further return to the North American hard-court season and August’s US Open in New York now likely. “All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…” Williams said.
Serena Williams injured her knee during singles comeback on Tuesday
The 23-time grand slam champion “tweaked” her right knee during her first singles match in four years on Tuesday night,putting her involvement in the doubles in major doubt after a thrilling three-set defeat to Maya Joint under the roof on Centre Court.
The Williams sisters have won six Wimbledon doubles titles and, with a combined age of 90, the wildcard pair had been scheduled to play the the unseeded South American duo Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra at some point on Saturday.
Williams felt her knee at the towards the end of the first set of her Centre Court return but played on in a valiant effort, saving match point to force a deciding set before the 20-year-old Joint prevailed, winning 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in two hours and 22 minutes.
BREAKING: Serena Williams forced to bring Wimbledon comeback to premature end: ‘I’m heartbroken’
Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback has been brought to a premature end after the 44-year-old was forced to withdraw from her first-round doubles match with sister Venus Williams due to a knee injury.
“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” Williams posted on Instagram. “Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus 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.
“I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here. Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful…All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…
“The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match…yikes! The good news is my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I just wasn’t able to get it ready for doubles.”
Alexandra Eala stuns Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek to make more history for the Philippines
Alexandra Eala made more history for the Philippines as the 21-year-old rising star stunned defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek to extend her record run to the fourth round.
Eala, the 29th seed, won 7-6 6-2 in two hours and 14 minutes for the biggest win of her blossoming career as well as the most significant upset of this year’s Championships.
Eala won a titanic 85-minute first set on Centre Court, saving set points as she won the tiebreak 11-9, before breaking an increasingly erratic Swiatek twice in quick succession to seize control.
Despite getting one of the breaks back and saving the first two match points, Swiatek was unable to stop the slide, making more than 40 unforced errors across the match as the Polish star exited Wimbledon in the third round for the third time in five years.
