Serena Williams trolled for canceling press conference after Wimbledon debacle

Serena Williams has come under fire on social media after canceling a post-match press conference on Tuesday following her emotional first-round exit at Wimbledon.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion returned to Grand Slam singles for the first time in nearly four years, but her comeback ended in a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 defeat to 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint on center court. While fans applauded Williams’ spirited performance against an opponent 24 years her junior, many were left surprised after she skipped a scheduled media interaction.

Williams looked for a way to mount a memorable comeback after saving a match point in the second set tie-break to level the match. She also earned an early break in the deciding set before Joint recovered to win five of the last six games to seal the biggest victory of her career in two hours and 22 minutes.

Rather than speak to reporters, Williams released a brief statement through tournament organizers expressing her gratitude for another opportunity to compete at the All England Club.

“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. It was amazing to come out. I definitely enjoyed it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”

When news spread of Serena Williams’ decision to skip her post-match press conference, many fans took to social media to express their disappointment. Among those who criticized the move was Spanish journalist Jos Morón, who argued that speaking to the media was a vital responsibility of professional tennis players.

In his post on X, Morón said: “Serena Williams won’t be pushing her return to tennis four years later. Speaking in front of the press might not be the funnest thing in the world, but it’s a good way to reach people and promote this tournament in the middle of the World Cup, how damn hard it was.”

“Tennis players also have to realize that this is also part of their job. Tennis is where it is because of the people who watch us. If no one spoke and stories were not made up, no one would be involved. For a legend like Serena not to speak today, on a day like this, is a huge shame.”

Despite her first-round singles defeat, Williams is still set to compete at Wimbledon in the women’s doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams.

Meanwhile, Maya Joint tried to hide its delight after causing one of the biggest upsets of the opening round. The 20-year-old Australian revealed she barely slept the night before the match due to nerves, but was excited to share the court with one of the sport’s biggest icons.

“I forgot the warm-up. I don’t know what happened. My legs weren’t moving. I don’t know how I got into the match pretty well. He has this aura. He’s such a legend. This court has so many big names that have played on it. I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was a little kid. This is pretty crazy,” Joint said.

Joint will face Alexandra Eala in the second round of The Championships at Wimbledon on Thursday.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

Jul 1, 2026 09:14 IST