Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams have been granted a doubles wildcard for Wimbledon, setting the stage for a spectacular return to SW19 when the tournament begins on 29 June.
The iconic American siblings will reunite on the grass courts where they have historically dominated the women’s game.
Their unexpected entry into the draw brings immense excitement to the third Grand Slam of the calendar year.
Together, the duo boast an extraordinary record at the All England Club, having previously claimed six doubles championships on the legendary London lawns.
A storied legacy at SW19
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion officially stepped away from professional tennis after the 2022 US Open, making this announcement a massive surprise for the sporting world.
Her older sister has also competed sparingly on the WTA Tour in recent seasons due to persistent injury setbacks.
However, the lure of the prestigious grass-court major has clearly tempted the former world number ones back into competitive action.
They remain completely undefeated in Grand Slam doubles finals, possessing a flawless 14-0 record across all four major tournaments.
Preparing for a highly anticipated return
Tournament organisers frequently reserve wildcard spots for past champions and high-profile figures who elevate the prestige of the event.
Fans will now eagerly await the upcoming tournament draw to discover who the unseeded pair will face in the opening round.
The main draw action is officially scheduled to commence on Monday, 29 June.
Emma Raducanu is aiming to carry her promising grass-court momentum into Wimbledon after falling to an inspired Donna Vekic in the Queen’s Championship final.
The former US Open champion was visibly disappointed as an erratic groundstroke handed Vekic a 6-0 7-6 victory, extending her wait for a first tournament title since 2021.
“Right now it obviously really stings, so I’m just going to let myself feel it today but try to get over it pretty quick,” Raducanu said.
Bouncing back rapidly from setbacks was the hallmark of several tenacious performances by the Briton throughout her impressive week in west London.
Shrugging off injury fears
Raducanu’s burgeoning career has been repeatedly disrupted by physical issues, and a heavy slip on the damp grass during her quarter-final against Kamilla Rakhimova sparked familiar concerns.
Despite requiring a medical timeout and returning with heavy strapping, she refused to let the pain or fear of slipping hamper her aggressive baseline game.
Any lingering doubts over her physical condition were firmly allayed when she returned to the court just two and a half hours later following a rain delay.
The British star confidently brushed aside talented teenager Iva Jovic in straight sets to secure her place in the grass-court final.
Building towards SW19
Maintaining physical durability has been a persistent challenge for the youngster, exacerbated by a heavily disrupted start to the season where a post-viral illness sidelined her for two months.
However, successfully navigating a heavily condensed schedule of intense battles on the grass appears to have caused no lasting physical damage.
She defeated two top-20 opponents without dropping a single set en route to the final, providing deeply encouraging signs ahead of the upcoming Grand Slam at the All England Club.
While the final closely mirrored her recent French Open exit against Solana Sierra, her trademark resilience was once again firmly on display to offer a solid foundation for Wimbledon.
Serena Williams will continue her return to professional tennis by partnering Karolina Muchova in the Berlin Open doubles this week.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion re-enters the doubles rankings at 593rd following her recent resumption of competitive play.
Her initial comeback attempt at the Queen’s Club Championships was cut short when partner Victoria Mboko withdrew with a knee injury.
Now, the 44-year-old American great shifts her focus to Germany, where she will face Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe on Tuesday at the Steffi Graf Stadion.
Building momentum for Wimbledon
A potential victory in the opening round would set up a clash against either third seeds Melichar-Martinez and Sara Errani, or the Chinese pairing of Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan.
However, the ultimate goal for the former world number one may be a wildcard entry into the upcoming Wimbledon championships.
Neither the All England Club nor the veteran star have officially confirmed her participation at SW19 later this month.
“It’s just a day at a time,”
Williams stated regarding her potential entry into the season’s third major.
“I still have a little time to decide, and they have been great about giving me that space and time to decide.”
Impressive return to the court
The tennis icon originally stepped away from the sport in 2022, but has returned motivated by the desire for her two children to watch her compete.
Tennis coach Judy Murray recently praised the returning star’s form, noting she played at an incredibly high level during her brief appearance at Queen’s.
“She has her two children now, but she’s been playing a load; she’s obviously got herself into really good shape, fit, ready to compete again,”
Murray observed when discussing the comeback.
The mother of two expressed deep excitement about the current grass-court swing and the opportunity to perform in Europe.
“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,”
the American declared ahead of her opening match.
“I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”
Emma Raducanu has reached her second WTA Tour final of 2026 after defeating American teenager Iva Jovic in straight sets at Queen’s Club on Saturday.
The British star made light work of a demanding schedule that required her to play twice in a single day.
After dispatching Kamilla Rakhimova in her delayed quarter-final, the former US Open champion returned to the grass to overpower Jovic 6-2 6-2.
Vekic denies all-British showdown
Raducanu will now face Croatia’s Donna Vekic in Sunday’s showpiece event at the HSBC Championships.
Vekic prevented a highly anticipated domestic clash by breezing past Katie Boulter in the second semi-final.
The experienced Croatian delivered a commanding performance to disappoint the home crowd and secure her progression.
Resurgence under Richardson
Victory on Sunday would secure only the second senior singles title of Raducanu’s professional career.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a noticeable resurgence in form since reuniting with her former coach Andrew Richardson.
Lifting the trophy on the London grass would provide the perfect momentum boost ahead of the upcoming Wimbledon championships.
Serena Williams will partner world number 10 Karolina Muchova in the women’s doubles at next week’s Berlin Open as she continues her return to professional tennis.
The 44-year-old recently ended a four-year absence from the sport by making a winning start at Queen’s Club alongside Victoria Mboko.
However, the newly formed pair were forced to withdraw from their quarter-final tie after her Canadian partner suffered a nasty fall during a separate singles match.
Now, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion turns to a highly rated Czech international to continue her grass-court preparations.
Muchova relishes dream partnership
The 29-year-old expressed immense pride at receiving the invitation from one of the sport’s greatest ever competitors.
“I’m pretty excited about it. It doesn’t happen every day that such an amazing athlete, not only in tennis but overall in sport, asks you to play tennis with her,” Muchova said.
“I hope it’s going to be fun.”
The current world number 10 possesses solid pedigree on grass, having twice reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in the singles draw.
Mboko sidelined for Wimbledon
Meanwhile, Mboko’s promising grass-court season has come to an abrupt and unfortunate halt.
A medial collateral ligament injury sustained against Karolina Pliskova means the youngster will miss the upcoming Championships at SW19.
“Unfortunately, my fall on Wednesday caused an injury to the MCL in my left knee,” Mboko explained.
“I had been so looking forward to playing this year.”
Despite the frustrating setback, the injured star remained positive about her brief stint alongside the returning American icon.
“I learned so much from you and I’m sorry our tournament came to an end prematurely, but I hope we can play together again soon and finish what we started,” she added.
World number one Jannik Sinner is part of a player group threatening to boycott the US Open mixed doubles event in an ongoing dispute over prize money and welfare conditions.
The Italian was scheduled to partner Katerina Siniakova in the newly overhauled tournament last year before withdrawing due to illness.
Now, the two-time Grand Slam champion is reportedly considering snubbing the competition entirely.
It follows reports indicating that competitors are collectively demanding a significantly larger financial reward to participate.
Prize money protests gather momentum
The threat marks the latest escalation by a cohort of athletes pushing for substantial financial reforms at major tournaments.
Players have unified behind a demand to receive 22 per cent of the total revenue generated by Grand Slam events.
This widespread dissatisfaction was previously highlighted during the French Open, where several competitors restricted their pre-tournament media commitments to just 15 minutes.
Eventual mixed doubles winners Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori secured a shared $1 million payout at Flushing Meadows last year.
Wimbledon prize pool increases
The boycott reports emerge shortly after Wimbledon confirmed a £10.7 million increase in its overall prize fund.
Singles champions at SW19 will now receive £3.6 million, while first-round participants are guaranteed at least £80,000.
Despite this 25 per cent overall uplift, the All England Club has firmly rejected the notion of tying player compensation directly to tournament revenue.
“We’ve always been clear that we’re on the side of the players, in the sense that we want to have a fantastic Wimbledon for them.”
Said All England Club chair Deborah Jevans.
“But using revenue to determine prize money, it just makes no sense, and we have said that to Larry Scott.”
Jevans emphasised that the famous grass-court tournament operates as a not-for-profit organisation.
“Revenue does not take into account the investments that we make. Everything goes back into the sport.”
Emma Raducanu has advanced to the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club after defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4 6-2 in front of a home crowd on Friday.
The British No 1 secured her second consecutive grass-court victory this week to the delight of a packed Andy Murray Arena.
This impressive straight-sets triumph marks her first victory over a top-20 opponent in more than a year.
She will now face either compatriot Harriet Dart or Kamilla Rakhimova in the last eight later today.
Dominant early start thwarted by comeback
The 2021 US Open champion commenced the match with blistering intensity, utilising ferocious forehands to secure two early breaks.
Having established a commanding 4-0 advantage, she allowed her experienced opponent a route back into the contest through costly unforced errors.
Cirstea capitalised on these mistakes to win three consecutive games, shifting the momentum and pressure back onto the home favourite.
Facing a potential break point at 5-4, the young Briton demonstrated impressive resilience to claim two vital points and seal the hard-fought 50-minute opening set.
Cruising through the second set
Oozing confidence after edging a tight opener, the hometown hero immediately broke serve in the first game of the second set with a glorious deep forehand return.
She maintained complete control throughout the remainder of the match, dictating baseline rallies against the Romanian veteran.
A second crucial break of serve in the fourth game ultimately provided the decisive blow in securing progression.
This welcome return to form provides a significant boost for the British star as she builds vital momentum on the grass.
Andre Agassi has urged Carlos Alcaraz to provide greater transparency regarding the persistent wrist injury that forced the Spaniard to withdraw from Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old has been struggling with the issue since the Barcelona Open earlier this year.
This latest physical setback follows his enforced absence from both the Madrid Open and Roland Garros.
Despite posting on social media last month that his recovery was progressing well, no official timeline for a competitive return has been established.
Agassi seeks medical answers
That distinct lack of detailed information has frustrated eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi.
The American believes the wider tennis community is currently left to blindly speculate about the severity of the problem.
“It would be really helpful if he or someone close to him clearly explained the exact nature of his injury, because at this point, we can only speculate.”
Agassi suffered numerous debilitating wrist problems during his own illustrious career on the ATP Tour.
“If it’s a form of tendinitis, is it a specific inflammation like dorsal capsulitis or a carpal tunnel-type problem? What exactly are we talking about, and what are the treatment options? I don’t know precisely what he has.”
A stalled historic campaign
The prolonged absence represents a significant blow for the Spanish star after a phenomenal start to the season.
He defeated Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open to complete a career Grand Slam at just 22 years of age.
His impressive grass-court pedigree includes lifting the Wimbledon trophy in both 2023 and 2024.
However, he previously confirmed he would miss the entirety of the current grass-court swing.
“They are two really special tournaments for me and I’ll miss them a lot. We keep working to return as soon as possible!”
Title race blown wide open
This high-profile withdrawal significantly alters the landscape for the upcoming Championships at SW19.
Alexander Zverev will arrive in London full of confidence after claiming his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open.
The German world number three defeated Flavio Cobolli in Paris to strengthen his ranking.
He now joins Djokovic and Jannik Sinner as the clear pre-tournament favourites to secure the prestigious grass-court major.