For the first time in 10 years, Serena and Venus Williams are gearing up to play doubles together at Wimbledon.
On Tuesday, the All England Club announced wild-card invitations for the sisters for the tournament, which kicks off in London on June 29.
“Back together, at Wimbledon 💚💜,” the organization wrote in the caption of a post on Instagram featuring the sisters in their tennis whites alongside the words “Welcome Back.”
“Serena and Venus Williams will compete in the Ladies’ Doubles at The Championships 2026,” the caption continued.
The update, which is already generating excitement among fans, comes after the sisters recently teased the possibility of playing together again in a playful exchange on social media. It also arrives at a fascinating point in both of their lives. A lot has changed since the sisters last took the court together at Wimbledon in 2016 (the last time they played together, in general, was in 2022 at the US Open). Serena, 44, soft-launched a retirement from professional tennis, married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in 2017, and welcomed two daughters, Olympia and Adira. Meanwhile, Venus, 46, who married actor and producer Andrea Preti earlier this year, has continued competing while expanding her business ventures away from the court.
As fans count down to their return, it’s worth taking a look back at the impact the sisters have made together in tennis and beyond.
Why this return matters
The prospect of seeing Serena and Venus share the court again is exciting for obvious reasons. Together, they built one of the most successful doubles partnerships the sport has ever seen and delivered some of the most memorable moments in modern tennis. Their return also comes at a time when more athletes in their generation are extending their careers and redefining what longevity can look like. Whether the Wimbledon run ends in a championship or an early exit, the reunion offers fans another chance to watch a partnership that helped shape an era of tennis.
From Compton to Centre Court
Before they became global sports icons we know them as today, Serena and Venus were just two young girls learning the game on the public courts of Compton, California. Guided by their parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price, the sisters famously picked up rackets as toddlers and quickly began turning heads with their talent.
Venus quickly emerged as one of Southern California’s most dominant junior players before the family relocated to Florida so both sisters could train at Rick Macci’s famed tennis academy. Venus turned professional in 1994, followed by Serena in 1995. By 1999, Serena had won her first Grand Slam singles title at the U.S. Open. The following year, the sisters captured their first Wimbledon doubles title together. They were clearly just getting things started.
A look back at their doubles history
Between 1999 and 2016, the pair collected 22 WTA doubles titles, including six Wimbledon championships and three Olympic gold medals. They also finished their Grand Slam doubles finals careers with a flawless 14-0 record, a feat few teams in tennis history can match. Serena’s power, paired effortlessly with Venus’ athleticism and reach, created a partnership that many sports analysts and fans alike have said is as entertaining to watch as it is difficult to beat.
At times they were rivals
Who doesn’t love a little healthy sibling rivalry? While the two tennis champs are dynamite on the court together and separately, at times they have been each other’s opponents. Spanning between 1998 and 2020, the sisters faced each other 31 times, including several Grand Slam finals. Serena takes the lead, having won 19 of those matchups.
What they accomplished in tennis together
It’s hard to overstate just how much tennis changed during and because of the sisters’ rise. When Venus, who has five Olympic medals to her name, and Serena, who has four, arrived on the professional circuit, they brought a level of power, athleticism, and confidence that helped reshape the women’s game. Through their beaded braids, unapologetic style, and pride in their Compton roots, they challenged narrow ideas about who belonged in tennis and expanded the sport’s audience.
Their influence can be seen across the sport today. Players like Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens, and more have all followed a path the sisters blazed. Their impact also extended beyond the baseline. In 2005, Venus publicly challenged Wimbledon over its unequal prize money structure, helping fuel a movement that ultimately led both Wimbledon and the French Open to award equal prize money to men and women.
Their legacy beyond tennis
Over the years, both Serena and Venus have built successful careers as entrepreneurs, investors, fashion designers, producers, and sports team owners (they both have a stake in the Miami Dolphins, while Serena also has stakes in the Toronto Tempo, Angel City FC, and Los Angeles Golf Club). Through their business ventures, they have become advocates for ownership, wealth-building, and expanding opportunities for women and people of color.
Their influence has also continued to evolve alongside their lives. Serena has embraced motherhood while growing her investment portfolio and media ventures. Venus has remained active in business, wellness, and design while continuing to compete at an age when many athletes have long since retired.
