Serena Williams has confirmed she has withdrawn from the Wimbledon doubles competition after failing to recover from the knee injury that brought her long-awaited comeback to an abrupt halt.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion had been due to reunite with sister Venus Williams in one of the most anticipated matches of this year's Championships.
However, after days of uncertainty over her fitness, the American announced on Instagram that she would be unable to take to the court.
Williams admitted she was devastated to miss the opportunity to play alongside her sister once again.
"I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles," she wrote.
"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 but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete.
"I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to recover.
Serena Williams has confirmed she has withdrawn from the Wimbledon doubles competition after failing to recover from the knee injury that brought her long-awaited comeback to an abrupt halt
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"Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful…All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…"
The post included footage of Williams walking with a heavily bandaged right knee while using a walking stick, as well as images showing medical treatment following her singles defeat.
She also revealed the extent of the procedure she underwent in a bid to keep her Wimbledon hopes alive.
"The photo of the syringes is the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match - yikes!" she said.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Five things to know about Wimbledon | GB NEWS"The good news is that my knee shouldn't swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I wasn’t able to be ready for doubles."
The injury was sustained during her dramatic first-round singles loss to Australia's Maya Joint, where Williams showed glimpses of her former brilliance before eventually falling 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 on Centre Court.
Her withdrawal brings an end to weeks of speculation after she failed to attend her scheduled post-match press conference, prompting criticism before her representatives later explained she had been receiving treatment on her injured knee.
Further uncertainty followed when the Williams sisters were absent from Friday's order of play.
Tournament organisers had deliberately delayed their doubles match until Saturday to maximise Serena's recovery time, but those hopes ended shortly before she had been due to practise when she confirmed her withdrawal.
The setback means Williams' return to professional tennis lasted just three matches.
Serena and Venus Williams had been due to play together in the doubles at Wimbledon
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She won her opening doubles contest at Queen's Club alongside Victoria Mboko before the pair withdrew after the Canadian suffered a knee injury.
Williams then exited in the first round of the Berlin Open while partnering Karolina Muchova before making her eagerly awaited singles return at Wimbledon.
Despite the disappointment, her closing message strongly hinted that her comeback is far from over.
With the US Open beginning next month, Williams appears determined to return once her knee has fully recovered, suggesting fans may not have to wait long to see the seven-time Wimbledon champion back on court.