LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback is over after the American legend pulled out of the doubles due to a knee injury on Saturday.

Williams and her sister Venus were due to play in the first round on Saturday, but Serena announced just hours before the match that her knee had not healed enough to play.

“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” the 44-year-old said on Instagram.

Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, suffered the injury during her defeat against Australia’s Maya Joint in the first round of the Wimbledon singles on Tuesday.

That was her first singles match since the 2022 US Open after four years in retirement.

The sisters, who won the Wimbledon doubles title six times, were scheduled to face Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio after receiving a wild card entry into the event.

But no court was specified by tournament organisers in the order of play, raising the possibility that seven-time Wimbledon singles winner Serena could withdraw.

To the disappointment of her legion of fans, Serena did just that, revealing the fluid on her injured knee made it impossible to continue her sensational return to Wimbledon.

“Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me,” she said.

“I did everything I could to be ready, but unfortunately, my knee just isn’t ready to compete.

“The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match…yikes!”