Serena Williams’ return to doubles has seen her enlist the help of two of the WTA Tour’s very best in the form of Victoria Mboko and Karolina Muchova, but many were surprised to see the 23-time Grand Slam champion not extend an invite to Coco Gauff.
Williams and Mboko won their first match at Queen’s before the Canadian was forced out of the tournament with a knee injury after taking a tumble in her singles match.
The American icon fared less better alongside Muchova as they were defeated in straight sets in Berlin by Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos.
Gauff is playing both singles and doubles at the Berlin Open and there was a report that suggested a first-time-ever partnership with Williams could be on the cards.
Gauff said Williams never asked her to play doubles and the tennis icon has now explained the reason she never extended the invite to the young American.
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Speaking at her post-match press conference in Berlin, Williams said: “I would really love to play with Coco [Gauff], she was on my list of people that I wanted to play with.
“I should have done better research on who was on the charts. She’s so focused on singles nowadays, you never really know if [players] are playing doubles. I guess I should have asked her though.”
After her first round defeat in Berlin, Williams now has a 10-day break before the start of Wimbledon, where she will be playing doubles with her sister Venus.
The pair were awarded a wildcard for the doubles draw and they will play their first tournament together at Wimbledon since the 2016 season.
That year was very successful for the pair as they won the title after defeating Yaroslava Shvedova and Timea Babos in straight sets in the final.
2016 marked the Williams sisters’ sixth Wimbledon doubles title, and their 14th and last major doubles title overall, but they will have a chance to battle for the title yet again a decade later.
After her early defeat in Berlin, Williams could play either Eastbourne or Bad Homburg in the week prior to Wimbledon, but she will not be able to play with her sister.
Venus is set to play doubles at Bad Homburg with Alexandra Eala, who will be the American’s sixth different doubles partner across the 2026 season.
She has previously paired with Katie Boulter, Elina Svitolina, Peyton Stearns, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Leylah Fernandez throughout the year.
The Williams sisters’ comeback at Wimbledon is set to take place between Monday, 29th June and Sunday, 12th July, with the order of play yet to be confirmed by the Grand Slam.
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