Serena Williams has taken to social media to thank her fans and explain why she controversially skipped her post-match media obligations at Wimbledon on Wednesday, July 1.
“It felt so good to be back on the grass at @wimbledon,” she wrote via Instagram following her first-round loss to Australia’s Maya Joint. “I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card — and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.”
Serena, 44, added that she suffered a knee injury during the first set, but she still hopes to compete with her sister, Venus Williams, in doubles.
“Congratulations to @maya.joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love,” she added. “That feeling will never get old.”
It was Serena’s first singles match in over four years after coming out of retirement. She made her doubles return at Queen’s Club in June, teaming up with Victoria Mboko to upset third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez before Mboko, 19, suffered an injury that forced them to withdraw.
In the hours after Serena’s loss at Wimbledon, some tennis reporters took to social media to voice their displeasure with her apparent snub.
“It does seem the media are finally turning on Serena Williams,” tennis writer Pav Gill wrote via X. “Missing the mandatory post match conference after getting the privilege of 2 Wild Cards, playing on centre at night under the roof etc was a really bad PR move. Her PR team will be working overtime in next few days!”
Fellow writer Simon Cambers agreed, adding, “Impressed at how hard @serenawilliams fought tonight. Not impressed that she refused to do her obligatory media conference. Having been given a wildcard by @Wimbledon, that’s not on.”
Serena’s agent, Jill Smoller, put out a statement via the Associated Press, which explained her absence.
“Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams,” the statement read. “She left site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week.”
Serena’s coach Rennae Stubbs also had her back, blasting her critics for weighing in before they knew the facts.
“The hate and lack of empathy in this world is astounding to me,” Stubbs, 55, wrote via X. “Especially when you have no idea what you’re talking about. Just blows my mind.”
