Serena Williams’ much-awaited reunion with sister Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2026 will have to wait after the 23-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the women’s doubles event due to a knee injury.

The 44-year-old American announced the decision in an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, saying he was heartbroken to be ruled out despite making every effort to recover in time. Serena suffered an injury during her first-round singles match against Australia’s Maya Joyce and was unable to prepare her knee for the doubles.

Serena wrote, “I am very sad to withdraw from doubles. It is a gift to come back to compete again, and the opportunity to play with Venus Williams once again means a lot to me. I did everything possible to prepare, but unfortunately my knee is not ready to compete.”

The Williams sisters, who received wildcard entry into the tournament, were set to make their first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since the 2022 US Open. The iconic pair have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including six Wimbledon crowns, making their reunion one of the most anticipated storylines of this year’s championships.

Emotional comeback from knee injury ends

Serena withdrew just days after returning to Grand Slam singles competition for the first time in nearly four years. Although she lost in the opening round, the seven-time Wimbledon singles champion overcame 20-year-old Australian Maya Joyce. Before losing 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 in a thrilling match on Center Court.. The performance reflected the talent that has made Serena one of the greatest players in tennis history, even if the outcome did not go her way.

Serena revealed the severity of the injury in her Instagram post, sharing a photo of the syringe used to drain fluid from her knee after the singles match.

She said, “The picture of the syringe shows the fluid that they took out of my knee after my singles match… Oh! The good news is that my knee shouldn’t swell or accumulate that much fluid again. The bad news is that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it ready for doubles.”

Serena thanked tournament director Jamie Baker and Wimbledon organizers for giving her every opportunity to recover, and also thanked the fans who made her return special. She signed off with a hopeful message: “All I can say is stay connected with a city near you,” hinting that her latest comeback isn’t over yet.

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India handed Vaibhav Suryavanshi a maiden T20I call-up after the 15-year-old’s record-breaking Indian Premier League 2026 campaign. While many expected him to be included straight into the playing XI, India have instead taken a patient approach.

Gautam Gambhir led team management did not decide to hand over Suryavanshi is the first movie During the two-match Ireland series. Despite India’s disastrous 0-2 defeat, the team stuck to the same combination for the first T20I against England, resulting in the young left-hander having to play another game on the bench.

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel, himself one of India’s youngest Test debutants, said the team management should be clear in its communication with Suryavanshi. Parthiv said that if India wants to retain its T20 World Cup-winning opening pair, then they should tell Vaibhav that at present there is no place for him in the playing eleven.

“When you are part of the coaching staff, you have to make sure that you communicate clearly with the players. Even if you are not playing him, you have to tell him that. He is a 15-year-old kid, so you have to be very careful with him and advise him to be patient,” Parthiv Patel said on Geostar.

“There are a number of players who have performed really well. Sanju Samson was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan, who is batting at No. 3, is the ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20I batsman, while Abhishek Sharma is No. 2. At the moment, There is no place for Vaibhav in the elevenAnd he needs to be really well informed,” he said.

However, the former India cricketer believes that Vaibhav is likely to make his debut at some stage during the ongoing England series, which still has four matches left.

India will play the second T20 match of the series in Manchester on Saturday, July 4. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are expected to continue as the opening pair.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi of India (ANI photo)

The excitement surrounding Vaibhav Suryavanshi has extended far beyond India, with the 15-year-old capturing the attention of cricket fans around the world. Such has been the hype around the teenage sensation that supporters have been buying tickets for India’s T20I matches in Ireland in the hope of seeing him in action. However, Suryavanshi remained on the sidelines during the two-match series.The story didn’t change after India traveled to Durham for the T20I against England. Despite growing anticipation surrounding his international debut, the youngster once again had to make his way to the bench. His frequent misses have surprised many former cricketers including Ravi Shastri Sunil Gavaskar. Now, the former England captain michael vaughn And Alastair Cook has also raised questions on India’s decision.Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Vaughan admitted that he could not understand why Suryavanshi was not given a chance, even as he suggested that he would like to ask questions directly to the BCCI and selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar.Vaughan said on the Stick to Cricket podcast, “We should be saying to the BCCI and the selectors, Ajit, how come he didn’t play against Ireland? Our guy, the kid,” Cook replied: “I’m there tomorrow, and I’m driving as a fan to make sure that 15-year-old kid plays.”While Vaughan and Cook’s comments reflect growing concern over Suryavanshi’s absence, the Indian team management seems unlikely to change its stance. The selectors and coaching staff have consistently said that Kishore will get his chance at the appropriate time.At present, Suryavanshi’s path to joining the playing eleven is closed. Abhishek Sharma And sanju samsonBoth of them are firmly established in India’s T20I team. After playing a key role in India’s third T20 World Cup win four months ago, neither batsman is expected to lose his place any time soon.Nevertheless, its omission has continued to spark debate given Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary growth over the past five months. This left-handed player, captaining India for the first time, led India to the Under-19 World Cup title and played a brilliant inning of 175 runs in the final. He then continued that momentum in the IPL and became the youngest Orange Cap winner by scoring 776 runs.Suryavanshi also impressed for India A in Sri Lanka, before joining the senior team for the Ireland tour. His match-winning 94 in the final included the fastest half-century in List A cricket and played a decisive role in India’s comprehensive victory, further strengthening the case for those eager to see the teenage prodigy make his international debut.

Cape Verde coach Bubista said his team “showed the world our identity” after the island nation’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign ended with a thrilling 3-2 extra-time defeat to defending champions Argentina in the round of 32 on July 3.

argentina vs cabo verde, FIFA World Cup 2026: highlight

Playing in their first World Cup and ranked 67th in the world, Cape Verde emerged as one of the biggest success stories of the tournament. They defeated former champions Spain and Uruguay in the group stage and then defeated Argentina for the full 120 minutes in a match that was not expected to be this close.

Despite the sadness of elimination, Bubista said that pride outweighed disappointment.

“The feeling in the dressing room is one of sadness,” Bubista told reporters.

“Of course, we are sad, because we are leaving the competition and because we have come so close, so close.

“Even if they were sad, the players were hugging each other, crying. That’s part of growing. It helps us grow, and also shows that the team has a spirit.”

the former defender said equaling the longest reigning world champion It was a testament to the confidence and character of his team.

“I’m proud of our players and what they did. They did it with honor and courage,” he said.

“I think Argentina showed why they are world champions. I think I could say our team showed how willing they were to play this match.

“I don’t think any other team could have scored two goals against Argentina and taken the match to extra time. I think it shows the character of our team and how skilled our team is. They did it bravely and we never lost our identity.”

For Bubista, the campaign was about much more than results. It was an opportunity for Cape Verde, a country of over half a million people, to introduce itself to the world of football.

“More than just playing, it was about showing our identity to the world,” he said.

“We had a team that wanted to play throughout the tournament, as long as we were here, and play against the best teams in the world.

“We played fairly and we were on par with our opponents.

“I think everyone should thank the players for their tournament, because they showed what our little country is all about.”

Cape Verde left the tournament without making the quarterfinals but with a place in history. His fearless performance and extraordinary performance against Argentina ensured that the World Cup debutant received respect far beyond the result.

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Egypt created history on Friday by reaching the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup for the first time by defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in extra time.

Hossam Abdelmaguid calmly converted the winning penalty after Australia missed two spot-kicks, sealing a historic victory for the Pharaohs.

australia vs egypt, FIFA World Cup 2026: highlight

Imam Ashour gave Egypt the lead after 13 minutes with a header from Karim Hafez’s cross and scored his 250th goal of the tournament. Australia responded 10 minutes into the second half when Mohammed Hani inadvertently headed Aiden O’Neill’s dangerous free-kick into his own net, his second own goal of the tournament.

Egypt held their nerve in the shoot-out to seal their first World Cup knockout win and will now face the winner of Friday’s round of 32 clash between defending champions Argentina and World Cup debutants Cabo Verde in Atlanta on Tuesday.

(more to follow)

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