Friday, July 17, 2026

Serena and Venus Williams Will Play Wimbledon Doubles

The Williams sisters won six Wimbledon doubles titles together between 2000 and 2016.

REUTERS/Toby Melville

Serena Williams will make her Grand Slam return at Wimbledon later this month.

Along with her sister Venus, Williams has been granted a wild card entry to the Wimbledon women’s doubles draw, the All England Tennis Club announced Tuesday morning. The 23-time Grand Slam singles winner, seven of which came at Wimbledon, last played at the grasscourt tournament in 2022.

Williams, 44, made her official return to professional tennis earlier this month at the HSBC Championships, a WTA 500 event known as a Wimbledon warmup. She played in one doubles match—a June 9 win alongside world No. 9 singles player Victoria Mboko.

However, Mboko, 19, sustained a knee injury the next day during singles action that forced her to drop out of the competition, prematurely ending Williams’s doubles run.

Williams played another doubles match Tuesday at the Berlin Open alongside world No. 10 singles player Karolína Muchová at the Berlin Open. They lost in straight sets to Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.

Williams has won 16 doubles Grand Slam titles—14 in women’s doubles and two in mixed doubles. The Williams sisters won six Wimbledon doubles titles together between 2000 and 2016.

It’s not yet clear if the Williams sisters will play singles at Wimbledon, where one singles wild card slot remains. World No. 21 Maja Chwalińska, the Polish star who jumped nearly 100 spots in the rankings after a miraculous run to the finals at Roland-Garros earlier this month, was given a singles wild card Tuesday.

A top-25 player is normally ranked for Grand Slam tournaments, but because the entry lists for Wimbledon are finalized in mid-May, Chwalińska’s previous ranking was considered.

Chwalińska was outside the top 100 and would’ve had to go through the qualifying round just to try to make the main draw in London. 

In 2022, Williams said she was “evolving away from tennis” after the US Open. But in late 2025, tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg reported that she had re-entered the ITIA’s drug testing portal. Retired players must be in the portal for six months before they are allowed to return to professional tennis.

Williams has yet to give a firm reason for why she decided to return. After her match at Queen’s Club, she joked that she has “nothing better to do.” She also said that feels little pressure to win titles or prove anything on the court during her return: “I don’t have anything to lose, and everything here is just to gain.”

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

7/16/26 – World Cup Final Set, Kawhi Probe, FanDuel VIP Scandal Deepens

0:00

Featured Today

Jun 16, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; France forward Michael Olise (11) controls the ball against Senegal during a Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at New York New Jersey Stadium

Where World Cup Stars Go to Customize Their Cleats

The world’s best players turn to a Scottish craftsman for perfect cleats.
July 10, 2026

What the World Cup Means to Erling Haaland’s Tiny Hometown

The tournament’s breakout star is from a rural Norwegian town.
July 10, 2026

Why So Many Media Outlets Are Rushing Into Sports

Sports coverage has ballooned in every corner of media.
Pillow Fight Championship
July 8, 2026

How Obscure Sports Get Mainstream TV Deals

For niche sports, getting on TV often matters more than getting paid.
ATLANTA, GA - September 05: Georgia Lottery fireworks after the game against the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park on Friday, September 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
July 2, 2026

Inside the Spectacle and Science of MLB Fireworks

Postgame fireworks are lighting up baseball for America250.

DeChambeau Has Last Chance at 2026 Major Cut—With 3D-Printed Irons

LIV Golf’s biggest star continues to stay busy off the course.
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 9 - Malemort to Ussel - Malemort, France - July 12, 2026 UAE Team Emirates - XRG's Tadej Pogacar wearing the yellow jersey, UAE Team Emirates - XRG's Isaac Del Toro wearing the white jersey and Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard wearing the polka-dot jersey in action as a spectator dressed in a costume cheers on during stage 9
July 13, 2026

Tadej Pogačar Says Heat Demands Tour de France Overhaul

Stage 9 was cut by 18.6 miles under a red alert.
July 13, 2026

NBA Execs Split on Where LeBron James Will End Up

James will play a record 24th NBA season. 
Sponsored

Clase Azul Tequila Founder’s Soccer Ownership

Arturo Lomeli talks about managing a tequila brand and two soccer clubs.
July 11, 2026

Ohtani, Judge Both Out of MLB All-Star Game

The two superstars will miss the midseason showcase.
July 11, 2026

White Sox Take UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky No. 1 in Draft

The White Sox selected the two-time Big Ten player of the year.
Jul 10, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on day 12 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
July 10, 2026

Jannik Sinner Reclaims Spot in Grand Slam Final to Vie for $4.8M

Sunday’s winner will claim the No. 4 spot on the career earnings list.
July 10, 2026

The Parity Era of Women’s Tennis Continues at Wimbledon

Karolína Muchová and Linda Nosková meet in the Wimbledon final Saturday.