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Venus and Serena Williams Return to Wimbledon Together for First Time in 10 Years

The Williams sisters have accepted a Wimbledon doubles wild card, setting up their first appearance together at the All England Club since winning the title in 2016.
Sept 1, 2022; Flushing, NY, USA;  Serena Williams and Venus Williams of the USA play Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in Woman's Doubles on day four of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Sept 1, 2022; Flushing, NY, USA; Serena Williams and Venus Williams of the USA play Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in Woman's Doubles on day four of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

There was a time when seeing Venus and Serena Williams walk onto a Wimbledon court together felt almost routine.

Every summer, the sisters would arrive at the All England Club carrying the weight of expectations and, more often than not, leave with another trophy.

Then life happened.

Serena stepped away from professional tennis. Venus began playing a more limited schedule. Seasons came and went without one of the most iconic partnerships in sports appearing on the same side of the net.

That's why Tuesday's announcement landed with such force across the tennis world.

For the first time in a decade, Venus and Serena Williams are returning to Wimbledon as a doubles team after accepting a wild card into this year's tournament.

The news instantly became one of the biggest storylines heading into Wimbledon, which begins June 29.

The Williams Sisters Built One of Tennis' Greatest Partnerships

Long before they became global superstars as singles players, Venus and Serena formed one of the most dominant doubles teams the sport has ever seen.

Together, the sisters captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and four Olympic gold medals. Even more remarkably, they never lost a Grand Slam doubles final.

Wimbledon became one of their most successful stages.

The pair won doubles championships at the All England Club in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2016. Their combination of power, athleticism and chemistry often overwhelmed opponents before matches even began.

For many tennis fans, some of the most enduring Wimbledon memories of the last 25 years involve the Williams sisters standing side by side holding another trophy.

Why This Reunion Feels Different

Reunions happen in sports all the time.

This one feels different because so many people assumed it would never happen.

Serena has not competed professionally since 2022 and has repeatedly spoken about embracing life away from full-time tennis. Venus, meanwhile, has continued to compete selectively while remaining one of the most beloved figures in the sport.

The possibility of another Wimbledon appearance together gradually shifted from likely to unlikely to seemingly impossible.

That context is what makes this week's announcement so significant.

The sisters are not returning because they need to prove anything. Their legacies were secured years ago.

They're returning because Wimbledon still matters, and because there is something undeniably special about seeing two athletes who changed their sport share the court one more time.

Wimbledon Just Added Its Biggest Early Storyline

Every Wimbledon arrives with championship favorites, emerging stars and compelling storylines.

This year now has something else: nostalgia.

Whether Venus and Serena make a deep run through the doubles draw or simply give fans a few unforgettable matches, their return guarantees that some of the biggest crowds of the tournament will be following their journey.

For younger fans, it will be an opportunity to witness a partnership they've mostly heard about.

For longtime tennis fans, it will feel like seeing a familiar chapter reopen after years of believing the book had already ended.

Ten years later, the Williams sisters are coming back to Wimbledon together.

And that alone makes this one of the most anticipated moments of the summer.

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Maggie MacKenzie
MAGGIE MACKENZIE

Maggie MacKenzie is a Boston-based writer and editor who has spent more than a decade covering sports and entertainment, with a deep focus on NASCAR. At NASCAR.com she covered the sport from race-weekends and analysis to larger stories covering the athletes, teams and series. Maggie has also held editorial roles across sports media, including as a copy editor and writer at Sports Business Journal, where she worked on coverage of the business side of professional sports, and at Heavy.com covering sports and entertainment. Maggie has been writing and editing professionally for more than ten years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Fairfield University and an MBA from Babson College.