Less than two weeks before the start of Wimbledon 2026, the tournament confirmed one of the most striking returns on the circuit: Venus and Serena Williams will once again compete together in doubles after receiving a special invitation to enter the main draw.

The news marks the return of one of the most successful couples in the history of tennis and comes in a special context for both. Serena, 44, recently returned to competition after staying away from professional tennis for nearly four years. Venus, who will turn 46 this Wednesday, has maintained more sporadic activity during recent seasons.

The decision was announced by the All England Club organization and will allow two players who built a large part of their legacy precisely on the London grass to see again in action.

The youngest of the sisters explained how the idea of ​​playing the tournament with Venus was born.

"I think it's going to be fun. My daughter, Olympia, told me I should play with Venus. She's always right," Serena said after losing a doubles match in Berlin alongside Karolina Muchova. “So I said, ‘OK Olympia, we’ll see if we can do it.’”

A historical society seeks a new chapter

The Williams sisters have accumulated 14 Grand Slam titles in doubles and six of them came at Wimbledon. The first was won in 2000 and the most recent in 2016. Curiously, his first two doubles crowns on the London grass also came after entering by invitation.

Their joint and personal history at the All England Club further expands the dimension of their career. Serena won seven singles titles at Wimbledon and Venus won five. Added to that is a mixed doubles title for Serena with Max Mirnyi in 1998, in addition to the individual Olympic gold obtained by Serena in London 2012 and the gold medal in doubles that both achieved in those same Games.

In total, between trophies and medals, the sisters have 21 achievements linked to the London stage.

With their six titles as a couple, they also share the all-time record for most women's doubles championships at Wimbledon alongside Suzanne Lenglen and Elizabeth Ryan, who dominated the tournament between 1919 and 1925.

The last time Venus and Serena played together in doubles was at the 2022 US Open, when they were eliminated in their debut. That tournament had marked their first joint appearance in four and a half years.

Serena's return has been moving in recent weeks. At Queen's Club she won a doubles match with Victoria Mboko before both had to withdraw from the tournament due to a knee injury suffered by her partner. Later, at the Berlin Open, Serena and Muchova lost 6-4, 6-4 to Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.

In the meantime, one additional possibility remains open. Serena did not rule out also competing in singles and one of the eight invitational spots in the women's team remains unassigned.

The 2026 edition of Wimbledon will begin on June 29.