Why Serena and Venus Williams Won't Be Returning to Wimbledon in Matching Tennis Outfits in 2026
"The opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me."
Sure, Serena Williams lost her first Wimbledon 2026 Singles match, but the GOAT has already won twice at this tournament. First, her eyelet Nike tennis dress earned major style points on June 30. But a long-awaited return to play alongside her sister and teammate, Venus Williams, has sadly been canceled at the last minute.
In an Instagram post on July 4, Serena shared, "I'm heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams 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."
The sporting icon continued, "The good news is my knee shouldn't swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I just wasn't able to get it ready for doubles."
It's no wonder courtside spectators were ready to give the Williams sisters such a warm welcome: They've been Wimbledon darlings since their doubles debut in 2000. From the get-go, Venus and Serena respected the all-white dress code upheld by the sport's biggest stage. 26 years ago, Venus competed in a cut-out, halter tennis dress from Reebok, while Serena stuck to a tank-top type from Puma. The Duchess of Kent Challenge Cup shined as much as their winning tennis attire.
Back in 2000, Serena and Venus Williams made their Wimbledon debut.
Serena and Venus haven't always been on the same side, though. In 2009, they made history as the second set of sisters to face off at Wimbledon. Still, they looked more in-sync than actual teammates.
For Serena, signing with Nike six years prior helped widen her Wimbledon dressing horizons. She delivered the opening serve in a cropped trench coat dress and Y2K, heart-shaped jewelry. Venus, on the other hand, stuck to sporty essentials, including a collared jacket and pleat-free mini skirt.
Serena and Venus still channeled each other while facing off at Wimbledon 2009.
Both Williams legends share the same taste in free-flowing skirts—though they executed them differently in 2010. Venus's sportswear label, EleVen by Venus Williams, designed her halter dress, which featured a peekaboo neckline, a lace-lined bodice, and tiered strands of fringe atop her skirt. The A-lister wore her circa-2007 brand during at least six Wimbledon matches.
Meanwhile, Serena stayed true to Nike with a skater-style mini dress. Pops of hot pink atop the label's signature Swoosh and Court Lite 2 sneakers defied the tournament's dress code ever-so-slightly. That's a classic Serena Williams move—she did the same at almost every Wimbledon match in the 2010s.
Serena and Venus returned to the same team come Wimbledon 2010.
It's been ten long years since Venus and Serena competed on Wimbledon's Centre Court together. They went out on top in 2016, winning the doubles' title and looking chic while doing so. Both sisters traded tennis dresses for stark white skirt sets. EleVen by Venus Williams decorated the founder's sleeveless tank top and thigh-length skirt with monochrome, crisscross line art. Then, Serena kept it classic in a Nike-branded long-sleeve and pleated tennis skirt. To finish, both legends laced up very similar, Swoosh-topped sneakers from Nike.
Serena and Venus last played together at Wimbledon in 2016.
The Williams siblings were set to end their Wimbledon hiatus for a special reason, and you have Serena's oldest daughter to thank: "My daughter, Olympia, told me I should play with Venus at Wimbledon [...] she's always right," she told reporters after her HSBC Championships match on June 9.
Hopefully, one day we'll get to see Venus and Serena hit the court together once more.
