Serena Williams fighting to be fit for Wimbledon doubles with Venus after knee issue

LONDON – Serena Williams will do everything to be ready for her Wimbledon doubles campaign alongside older sister Venus after sustaining a knee injury during her opening singles defeat on June 30, the American’s agent said.

The 44-year-old’s highly anticipated comeback to competitive action after four years away ended in disappointment after a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 defeat by little-known Australian Maya Joint and she later skipped her mandatory post-match press conference. Joint will take on 29th-seeded Alexandra Eala of the Philippines next.

British media reported the 23-time Grand Slam champion was not fined for her absence because she was injured, with the focus now shifting to her doubles commitments on July 2 after she received a wild card to compete with Venus.

The Williams sisters are drawn to play Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in the opening round.

“Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set (against Joint) and was excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams,” Williams’ agent Jill Smoller was quoted as saying in The Times newspaper.

“She left site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week.”

Williams has had a little more time on court in doubles action after partnering Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko at the WTA event at Queen’s Club in June. The pair’s campaign was cut short after Mboko’s knee injury in singles action.

Williams then paired up with Czech Karolina Muchova at the Berlin Open, but the duo went down in their first match.

Serena has not won a Grand Slam singles crown since the 2017 Australian Open, while Venus last lifted a Major singles trophy at Wimbledon in 2008.

Serena said her astonishing comeback was motivated by a desire to play in front of her two young daughters.

Her children watched their mother’s loss to Joint alongside her husband Alexis Ohanian and Venus in the players’ box on June 30.

In action on July 1, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka continued her impressive start to her campaign with a clinical 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian qualifier Anastasia Gasanova to reach the third round.

The Japanese 14th seed arrived on Court 2 having swopped her first-round “Kill Bill” kimono for a more toned-down version of the dress with a decorative sash, a long train and a bomber jacket, but there was nothing subdued about her tennis.

After cruising through the opening set, Osaka shifted up a gear in the next with a powerful overhead smash to break for a 4-2 lead and never looked back from there to reach the third round for the fourth time.

Osaka, who has not progressed beyond that stage at the All England Club, takes on Australian Daria Kasatkina in the next round though she said her immediate focus was on another matter. Kasatkina came from a set down to beat Indonesian Janice Tjen 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-4 later on July 1.

“Tomorrow is my daughter’s (third) birthday,” Osaka said. “I just wanted to be here for longer. I don’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday. I was really happy about today.

“Obviously I have to practise in the morning, but maybe after we’ll go around the park and stuff. She loves making friends, so yeah, we’ll probably do that.”

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka battled through a tough second set against American McCartney Kessler to reach the third round.

The four-time Grand Slam champion won 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) on Court 1 to secure a last-32 meeting with former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko.

“That was a true battle and I’m super happy that I was able to stay in that second set to get into that tiebreak,” said Sabalenka.

“She really tested me and I’m super happy to pass the test.”

Top-ranked men’s counterpart Jannik Sinner also progressed after beating Nuno Borges of Portugal 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4. The Italian’s next opponent is Jenson Brooksby of the US in the third round. REUTERS, AFP