Serena Williams suffered a straight-sets defeat in the Berlin Open doubles on Tuesday, falling to Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe 6-4, 6-4. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who is making a comeback after nearly four years away, partnered with Czech player Karolina Muchova in the WTA 500 event. Despite flashes of her trademark power, Williams lacked rhythm after her long hiatus, particularly in the early stages of the match. She was broken in her second service game of the opening set, and the duo failed to recover.
The defeat came just hours after the confirmation that Williams will return to Wimbledon to play alongside her sister Venus. The Williams sisters, who have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together including six at Wimbledon, will compete in the women’s doubles draw at the All England Club. The announcement has sent waves of excitement through the tennis world, as fans eagerly anticipate the reunion of one of the sport’s most iconic partnerships. The sisters last played together at Wimbledon in 2022, and their return adds a compelling narrative to this year’s Championships.
Williams showed glimpses of the powerful game that allowed her to dominate women’s tennis for two decades. Her serve, which reached impressive speeds, and her trademark forehand were on display, though consistency was understandably lacking. She improved as the match progressed, with better footwork and sharper shot-making in the second set, but it was not enough to overcome the experienced Olmos and Routliffe. The match marked Williams’ second competitive outing since her shock comeback announcement earlier this month, following a victory at Queen’s Club that ended when her partner Victoria Mboko suffered an injury.
With one final singles wildcard slot remaining for Wimbledon, which begins on June 29, speculation is growing that Serena Williams could also make an individual return. The last of her 23 Grand Slam victories came at the 2017 Australian Open, and she last won Wimbledon in 2016. While her immediate focus appears to be on doubles with Venus, the possibility of a singles comeback remains open. Williams has stated her decision to return came from a desire to play in front of her two young daughters, and her presence at Wimbledon—whether in singles, doubles, or both—will undoubtedly be one of the tournament’s biggest storylines.
