American tennis icon Serena Williams has been forced to end her highly anticipated Wimbledon comeback after withdrawing from the women’s doubles event because of a knee injury.
The 44-year-old, who had teamed up with her sister Venus Williams, announced on Saturday that her right knee had not recovered sufficiently for her to compete, bringing an abrupt end to her return to the All England Club.
The Williams sisters, six-time Wimbledon doubles champions and 14-time Grand Slam doubles winners, had received a wildcard entry and were scheduled to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the opening round.
Serena sustained the injury during her first-round singles defeat to Australian youngster Maya Joint earlier in the week. Despite undergoing treatment and making every effort to recover, she said her knee was still not fit for competitive action.
In an emotional message shared on Instagram, Serena wrote: “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.”
The withdrawal marks another setback in Serena’s return to professional tennis after nearly four years away from the sport. Although her Wimbledon campaign has ended prematurely, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion hinted that her comeback journey may not be over, thanking fans for their support and urging them to “stay tuned.”
ALSO READ:U.J. Esuene Stadium Roars as Nathaniel Bassey, GUC Serenade at Calabar Gospel Night
Hope you find the Above publication useful, Calabargist will love to keep you updated via our newsletter by subscribing with your email.
