Serena Williams avoids $50k fine after fans criticize her action at Wimbledon
Serena Williams has avoided a big fine after missing her post-match media duties following her return to Wimbledon.
The 44-year-old made an amazing comeback on Centre Court, losing in three sets to Maya Joint on Tuesday night. This was her first Grand Slam match in four years.
The crowd gave her a standing ovation after the tough loss, happy to see the 23-time Grand Slam champ back in action. But fans didn’t get to hear from Serena afterward because she was said to be “not able” to do her required media interviews.
The 2026 Grand Slam rule book says both winners and losers must attend post-match media interviews to help fans and the media connect with players. Breaking this rule could mean a fine of up to $50,000.
Though Serena didn’t do a live interview, she gave a short statement to the All England Club, which shared it with the press. She said, “It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
The All England Club was happy with this and chose not to fine Serena, as the rules allow skipping media on “reasonable grounds.”
Serena now looks forward to playing doubles with her sister Venus. The two sisters got a wildcard for the doubles tournament and will play their first match against Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio, who are new partners in doubles.
This will be the Williams sisters’ first doubles match together in four years. They’ve won the Wimbledon doubles title six times, with Serena also winning seven singles titles and Venus five. Their last doubles title was in 2016, and they also won Olympic doubles gold in London 2012.
Despite the warm cheers in the stadium on Tuesday, some fans noticed Serena’s handshake seemed “rubbish” and criticized her online.
One fan wrote, “Took away a wildcard from a deserving player.” Another said, “I thought I couldn’t stand her less… but she managed to do it.” A third added, “I feel bad for the tennis player kicked out so they could bring in Serena.”
But some supporters disagreed, saying things like, “Greatest ever. She deserved the wildcard. Probably just frustrated. She gets a pass.”
Before Wimbledon, Serena played doubles at Queen’s Club in London and in Berlin, which helped her prepare well. She hopes to win her seventh Wimbledon doubles title in the upcoming match on Thursday.