Serena Williams is doing “everything [she] can” to be ready to compete alongside her older sister Venus in the doubles draw at Wimbledon. Aged 44, the tennis icon returned to the singles court for the first time in almost four years on Tuesday night, losing 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 to Maya Joint on Centre Court.
Williams has now broken her silence on the comeback and her subsequent injury. “It felt so good to be back on the grass at @wimbledon. I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card – and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love,” she wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
“I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles with @venuswilliams. Congratulations to @maya.joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old.”
The women’s doubles event gets underway on Thursday, but it is understood that the Williams sisters would play their first match on Friday, should the 44-year-old be ready to compete.
The siblings won the women’s doubles title here six times, with their most recent triumph coming a decade ago.