After four years away from Wimbledon, Serena Williams accepted a singles wildcard in 2026 and made her comeback. But at the US Open, the six-time champion chose not to do the same. Back in New York for the first time since 2022, the 44-year-old stayed out of the singles draw despite a wildcard being available, and she has now revealed exactly why.

“I injured myself at Wimbledon, and I just didn’t have time to recover, unfortunately,” she said in an interview with Good Morning America. “I just didn’t want to take any opportunities away from someone in terms of getting a wild card if I wasn’t able to compete in a way that I knew I could.” The final singles wildcard ultimately went to Sofia Kenin.

“No, I probably will play. I have to,” she said, before adding a lighter note about her current level. “But after some of those returns, I think I need to play.” Asked whether fans might see her at another major, she left the possibility open, saying it was not something permanent but that she also wants her children to see her compete.

And that is where her Wimbledon knee injury becomes important.

Serena Williams’ Wimbledon Knee Injury

The knee injury surfaced during Serena Williams’ first-round Wimbledon loss to Maya Joint.

She completed the three-set match without asking for treatment and showed little obvious sign of a serious problem on court, but her knee reportedly swelled quickly after she left.

Serena later posted photos showing her left knee wrapped in bandages, along with syringes she said had been used to drain fluid from the area.

Wimbledon gave her as much time as possible to recover for the doubles event with Venus, but the knee never settled enough for her to compete. “I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” Serena said.

“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.”

She also thanked Wimbledon for giving her every chance to make the match, saying, “I’m especially grateful to tournament director Jamie Baker and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here. Thank you to the fans after your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful. All I can say is, stay tuned to a city near you.”

Her Wimbledon setback may have kept her out of singles in New York, but it did not stop her from getting back on court.

Serena Williams Teams Up With Carlos Alcaraz in US Open Mixed Doubles

Serena still found her way onto the court in New York, teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles.

The partnership began after Alcaraz won the Australian Open, when Serena texted to congratulate him, and he responded by telling her she needed to come to New York and play with him. She initially brushed off the idea, but the two eventually teamed up at Flushing Meadows and opened their run with a win over Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool.

For Alcaraz, sharing the court with Serena was anything but casual. “I’m playing next to the one and only Serena Williams, so what else could you do? Just enjoy,” he said, adding that he was simply trying to “do the things she told me to do.”

The nerves showed immediately when he double-faulted on the first point, and he later admitted he was “really, really nervous.”

Their run eventually ended against eventual runners-up Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, but Serena’s US Open comeback was far from over.

She then turned to women’s doubles with Venus Williams, marking the sisters’ first appearance together at a Grand Slam since Serena stepped away from the sport in 2022.

Venus Williams draws backlash after another early exit

Unlike Serena, Venus Williams chose to take the singles wildcard, but once again her tournament did not last long.

The 46-year-old lost 6-2, 7-6(6) to fellow American Sofia Kenin in a match that did not begin until 12:13 a.m. ET on Monday, marking the latest first ball ever struck in US Open history. The delay came after Novak Djokovic’s marathon five-set loss to Mariano Navone earlier in the evening.

The loss marked Venus’ 15th consecutive singles loss on the tour, dating back to July last year. 

“It was extremely late. I’ve never played a match that late before,” she said. “It’s not ideal. I would have preferred something else. I think it wasn’t great for either of us. I definitely think there’s room for improvement there.” 

The result has only intensified a debate that was already building before she took the court. Ranked outside the top 600, Williams received her 12th wildcard of the season into this year’s main draw, raising fresh questions over whether she had actually earned the spot.

The criticism only grew after the match, with fans arguing that the wildcard should have gone to a player still fighting for ranking points and prize money rather than someone who has not won a tour-level singles match in more than a year.

Venus, for her part, did not sound interested in relitigating the decision. Asked about her singles future, she brushed the question aside entirely. 

“I don’t think I should have to think about the future,” she said. “My mind is fully focused on that women’s doubles. So I’m going to recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one.” 

The women’s doubles draw has yet to be announced, so Serena and Venus still do not know who they will face. The sisters are expected to play on September 3 or 4, with the exact schedule set to be confirmed soon. Their reunion will also be the final chance to see either Williams sister compete at Flushing Meadows this fortnight.