American superstars Serena Williams and Venus Williams will return to Wimbledon action together after they were handed a wildcard to compete in the women’s doubles.
Neither sister is included on the list of singles wildcards, although there is one remaining spot still to be given.
Serena, 44, made her comeback at Queen’s last week, four years after playing what many expected to be the final match of her career at the 2022 US Open.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion continued her doubles comeback in Berlin this week, but she and partner Karolina Muchova lost 6-4 6-4 to doubles specialists Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.
Seven of Serena’s major singles title came at Wimbledon, while she and Venus won the doubles title together six times at SW19.
Five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus, 45, has lost all seven of her singles matches this season, but won a doubles match alongside Britain’s Katie Boulter at the Madrid Open in April.
Serena said she was inspired to return by both her elder sister’s run to last year’s US Open women’s doubles quarter-finals and a conversation with her oldest daughter.
“I had no intention of actually being here today, to be perfectly honest with you,” she said.
“My daughter Olympia told me I should play with Venus. She’s always right.
“I think I was really motivated by what Venus was doing that year in the [US] Open doubles. I thought she played really well.”
Asked if she would consider a singles return at SW19, Williams said: “You think I’m ready for singles? I need to get to work.”
Former British number one Dan Evans has not been given a wildcard for the men’s singles main draw in what will be the final tournament of the 36-year-old’s career.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, who is also retiring at the end of the season, has been handed a place, along with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.
French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska has been rewarded for her Roland Garros run with a wildcard for the women’s singles.
Wimbledon begins on Monday, 29 June.
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