The much-anticipated return of Serena Williams to competitive tennis in 2026 has been met with a wave of controversy following her and sister Venus’s decision to skip their post-match press conference at the US Open. The incident, which occurred after a dramatic doubles defeat, has drawn criticism regarding the sisters’ adherence to tournament obligations, with GiveMeSport reporting on the backlash surrounding their decision.
Serena Williams had famously declared her intention to “evolve away” from tennis after the 2022 US Open, where her singles career seemingly concluded with a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanović. However, 2026 saw her re-enter the doping test pool and accept a wildcard to compete in doubles at the Queen’s Club Championships alongside Victoria Mboko. Despite an initial denial on X, stating “Omg yall. I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy~”, Williams’s comeback was fully underway.
After reaching the Queen’s Club quarter-finals, Serena reunited with Venus at Wimbledon, their first tournament together since 2022. Serena also entered the Wimbledon singles draw as a wildcard but suffered a first-round exit to Maya Joint, sustaining a knee injury in the process. The sisters continued their doubles partnership, losing in the first round of the Cincinnati Open before teaming up for the 2026 US Open.
Dramatic US Open exit and subsequent no-show
On the grand stage of Arthur Ashe, Serena and Venus Williams faced Maya Joint and Taiwan’s Chan Hao-Ching in a gruelling three-hour doubles encounter. The match saw the legendary duo lose 3-6, 7-6, 6-7, notably squandering a 5-0 lead in the final-set tie-break after being 4-1 down earlier in the set.
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Following their defeat, neither Serena nor Venus Williams appeared for the mandatory post-match press conference. As highlighted by GiveMeSport, this breach of protocol can carry significant penalties, with the US Tennis Association (USTA) empowered to fine players up to $50,000. Despite Serena’s recent knee injury at Wimbledon, the USTA confirmed it had received no notification of an injury reason for the sisters’ absence from their media obligations.
“Rules don’t apply to us” attitude draws fire
According to GiveMeSport, the decision to bypass the press conference sparked a strong reaction from sections of the tennis community and fans. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg remarked on his X account that the move was “deeply unsurprising,” hinting at what some perceived as a wider pattern.
Social media was also filled with criticism, with one fan expressing frustration:
“Good riddance at this stage. I’m not press, but I’m absolutely sick of this ‘rules don’t apply to us’ attitude. Four wild cards between them this US Open and they are basically giving a big middle finger to the tournament and the press.”
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Other fans echoed sentiments that the sisters were acting “bigger than the sport that has given them everything.” Adding another layer to the controversy, James Gray, sports news editor at The i Paper, reported that the Williams sisters will not be fined for their no-show, further fuelling criticism and claims from some fans that the pair had received preferential treatment.
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