Serena Williams is set to play her first-round doubles match one day later than everyone else in the draw.
After suffering an injury during her defeat to Maya Joint in singles, Williams’ participation in the doubles event alongside her sister, Venus Williams, hung in the balance.
What did you make of Serena Williams’ level on her return to singles?
Serena Williams is OUT of the Wimbledon singles event…
She still hasn’t withdrawn, and Wimbledon organisers are said to be giving her as much time as possible to recover.
If that’s not preferential treatment, I don’t know what is.
Wimbledon make schedule change to allow Serena Williams to recover for doubles
The official Wimbledon website released its provisional tournament schedule before the event began.
Wimbledon’s official tournament schedule
Thursday, July 2
- Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Singles Second Round
- Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Doubles First Round
Friday, July 3
- Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Singles Third Round
- Gentlemen’s Doubles Second Round
- Ladies’ Doubles First Round
- Mixed Doubles First Round
Saturday, July 4
- Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Singles Third Round
- Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Doubles Second Round
- Mixed Doubles First Round
- Boys’ & Girls’ Singles First Round (18&U)
All women’s doubles first-round matches were supposed to be completed by the end of Friday’s play.
And 31 of the 32 first-round matches will be finished.
There’s no surprise which match won’t be…
The Williams sisters are now scheduled to take on Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra on Saturday, July 4, when their rivals begin the second round.
This clear example of Wimbledon giving Williams preferential treatment won’t go down well with some fans, although the tournament director, Jamie Baker, isn’t hiding it.
“We are giving her as much time. Obviously, we want her to play if she possibly can. In terms of the days, it is a guideline. That is what we’re hoping to do to try and get the tournament finished,” he said as reported by the ‘Express‘.
Baker isn’t wrong, as Wimbledon reserves the right to adjust the schedule how they see fit, but you can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable hearing his willingness to move the goalposts for Williams.
Had it been any other player struggling with an injury, would he have made an exception? Or would they have been forced to withdraw from the event?
It’s difficult to imagine them choosing the first option, that’s for sure.
Does Serena Williams deserve preferential treatment?
There is no doubt that Williams is receiving preferential treatment, but there is a debate worth having over whether she deserves it.
Many tennis fans believe that Williams is the greatest women’s player of all time, and she has the numbers to back it up.
The 44-year-old is a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, 14-time doubles champion, and two-time mixed doubles champion.
She held the number-one ranking in singles (319 weeks) and doubles (eight weeks) and won Olympic gold in both disciplines.
So with all that being true, maybe she has earned a favour or two from Wimbledon…
Williams is the biggest name in women’s tennis and will bring more eyes to doubles than anyone else.
And in a week where the future of doubles tennis looks uncertain (The tour proposed halving doubles draws, among other changes), it could do with the star power Williams provides.
Seeing a player of her calibre attract huge crowds for doubles on Centre Court or Court One, perhaps the powers that be will reconsider their stance on the discipline.
Pushing back Williams’ match by one day might disgruntle a few players and prove the playing field isn’t as level as you’d like to imagine, but in the wider context of doubles, it might prove to be a worthy sacrifice.
This may, of course, all be for nothing if Williams doesn’t recover in time for Saturday, as there is surely a limit to how many days her first-round match can be pushed back.
If the 44-year-old begins her doubles campaign while others are playing third-round matches, it will no longer look like preferential treatment, but a complete farce.
