Serena Williams has ended her Wimbledon comeback after withdrawing from the women’s doubles competition because of a knee injury.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion announced on Saturday that her knee had not recovered sufficiently for her to compete alongside her sister, Venus Williams.
Serena sustained the injury during her first-round singles defeat to Maya Joint on Tuesday, her first singles match since returning from retirement after four years away from the sport.
The Williams sisters, six-time Wimbledon doubles champions, had received a wildcard entry and were scheduled to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the opening round.
Explaining her decision, Serena said fluid had accumulated in her injured knee, making it impossible to continue her return to the All England Club.
She described her comeback as a special experience and said the opportunity to compete alongside Venus once again meant a great deal to her, but acknowledged that her body was not ready for further competition.