Serena Williams, playing at her first Wimbledon since 2022, has withdrawn from the planned doubles appearance with her older sister Venus due to a knee injury. The American pair, six-time doubles champions at the All England Club, were scheduled to reunite on a Grand Slam court for the first time since 2022 on Saturday.

The 44-year-old suffered the knee problem during her singles defeat to Australia's Maya Joint on Tuesday. She did not speak to the media after the match, with Wimbledon organizers saying she was "not able to undertake" her duties.

In an Instagram post, Serena said: "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 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."

Williams showed little sign of a problem during the three-set loss to Joint and did not ask for treatment. However, the knee reportedly swelled quickly after she came off court. The tournament gave her as much time as possible to declare fitness, but she announced her withdrawal about 15 minutes before a scheduled practice.

Serena Williams, who turns 45 in September, is a six-time US Open singles champion. She has not confirmed her next steps, but the North American hard court swing, culminating at the US Open, remains a possibility. Her team views the comeback as a success despite the singles loss and doubles withdrawal.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk