Serena Williams Reveals Why She Didn’t Play Singles at US Open: “Didn’t Want to Take Opportunities Away from Players”

Serena Williams made her comeback to the US Open but did not play singles. She instead competed in mixed doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz and crashed out after reaching the quarterfinals.

Williams made her singles comeback at Wimbledon, where Maya Joint clinched a hard-fought win. The 44-year-old suffered an injury during the match, which forced her to withdraw from doubles she was set to play alongside her sister Venus Williams.

The Williams sisters have received wild cards for doubles in the ongoing event. Ahead of the event, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion sat for an interview with Good Morning America, during which she revealed why she didn’t play singles in her home Slam.

I probably will play again. I have to… After some of those returns, I think I need to play at least once… I injured myself at Wimbledon. And I just didn’t have time to recover, unfortunately. And I just didn’t want to take any opportunities away from someone, in terms of getting a wild card, if I wasn’t able to compete at a way that I knew I could.

Serena talks about why she didn't play singles at the Us Open and her future (we will see her in a slam again) pic.twitter.com/J9D9uOEann

— Serena's snatched wig (@Danidilo2) August 31, 2026

Following her retirement reversal, Williams played her first official match at the Queen’s Club Championships. She competed in doubles alongside Victoria Mboko and reached the quarterfinals. But Mboko suffered an injury during her singles match, forcing them to withdraw from the doubles quarterfinals.

Williams later joined forces with Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova at the Berlin Open and suffered an opening-round exit. She and her sister then played their first doubles match together since the 2022 US Open at the Cincinnati Open but failed to go past the opening round.

Williams, a six-time singles champion at Flushing Meadows, last won this title in 2014 by beating Caroline Wozniacki. She reached the final last in 2019, losing to Bianca Andreescu. It was in her home Slam back in 2022 that Williams played her career’s final match in the third round before calling time on her career for the first time.

Thea Frodin, who played Serena Williams’ body double, set to make her Grand Slam debut

Thea Frodin, the 17-year-old American, was handed the wild card for the US Open after she won the singles title at the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships a couple of weeks ago. Those who have watched King Richards can very well recognize the teenager, as she played Serena Williams‘ body double when she was 12.

Frodin, who is competing on the tour for the first time, has a huge challenge in front of her as she will be locking horns with none other than reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the first round.

I just remember it being a blast. Being able to play tennis and be on camera, two great combos. I truly had such an amazing time. I got to be alongside some really cool actors, and it was super fun.

Thea Frodin said (H/T: WTA Tennis)

Frodin played her career’s first tour-level match in the qualifying round of the Miami Open earlier this year. She lost the first match to Viktorija Golubic.

Being able to play the role of somebody that I looked up to for my whole life was super special. I was honored. She was one of the players that I looked up to most, just when I was starting to play, and she’s such an inspiration to me.

Thea Frodin added

In the ongoing event, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is competing as the defending champion. If she wins, she will be able to maintain her spot at the top of the rankings table. But if she loses, she will lose her No.1 ranking to Rybakina, Coco Gauff, or Jessica Pegula.

Also read: Justine Henin Sounds the Alarm Bells on Novak Djokovic’s Future After US Open Exit: “Best is Behind Him”