Serena Williams reveals that her daughter Olympia motivated her return to tennis, and now she is set to reunite with Venus. At Wimbledon

Serena Williams and Venus Williams are reuniting at Wimbledon, transforming what might have been a subdued tennis return into one of the most memorable narratives of the summer. Wimbledon organizers announced Tuesday that the iconic sisters have been granted a women’s doubles wildcard for the 2026 Championships, reuniting them on the grass courts where they established one of the most formidable family legacies in sports. 

For Serena, 44, the choice was influenced by her family’s encouragement. Serena shared that her 8-year-old daughter, Olympia, inspired the idea after her doubles match at the Berlin Open with Karolina Muchova.

Austin Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, addresses Karmelo Anthony’s family. “My daughter, Olympia, suggested that I should play with Venus,” Serena stated, according to the Women’s Tennis Association. “She’s always right, so I just went along with it.” 

She remarked, “She’s very serious.” She is aware. She is exceptionally intelligent. “She’s very wise,” I believe, is a more fitting term. So I said, ‘Alright, Olympia, let’s find out if we can make it happen.’” 

The reunion surpasses a mere sentimental doubles event. Serena and Venus have achieved remarkable success, securing 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, with six of those victories at Wimbledon. Their initial two Wimbledon doubles titles, achieved in 2000 and 2002, were also secured following wildcard entries, rendering this return a poignant full-circle moment. 

The comeback comes after a significant hiatus from the court. Serena stepped away from tennis following the 2022 U.S. Open, notably sharing in Vogue that she preferred not to use the term “retirement” and was “evolving away from tennis” to focus on family and Serena Ventures. She expressed her desire to expand her family, eventually welcoming her second daughter, Adira, in 2023.

Earlier this month, Serena participated in her first professional match in almost four years at Queen’s Club, partnering with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko to secure a victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe with scores of 7-6, 6-2. Their run came to an abrupt halt when Mboko sustained a knee injury, yet the match demonstrated that Serena still possesses the ability to captivate an audience and excel on grass. 

Her Berlin tune-up did not go as well. Giuliana Olmos and Routliffe defeated Serena and Muchova with a score of 6-4, 6-4. However, Serena expressed that she felt “more nimble and more sturdy and quicker” than she did at Queen’s. 

Venus, who celebrated her 46th birthday on June 17, has participated in competitions less frequently recently, which makes the Wimbledon pairing all the more significant. The sisters last competed in doubles together at the 2022 U.S. Open, where they were defeated in the first round by Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova. It was their first doubles match together in four and a half years. 

Neither sister has requested a singles wildcard thus far, although one women’s singles wildcard is still available, and Serena is still considering it. 

Currently, the narrative is straightforward: Olympia proposed the idea, Wimbledon took action, and the Williams sisters reunite in the realm where their legacy once thrived.