Serena Williams’ coach, Rennae Stubbs, has hit back at critics who have demanded a penalty on the 23-time Grand Slam champion for not doing her mandatory Wimbledon post-match press conference after her first-round loss.
After losing to Maya Joint in the first round of Wimbledon last Tuesday, Serena Williams did not show up at the post-match press conference, citing a severe knee injury that occurred during the match. The All England Club waived the fine usually levied on players who refuse to attend the press conference, only because Williams had provided a considerable amount of medical evidence. Since then, the American has received several criticisms in relation to the press conference snub.
Now, after announcing her retirement from Wimbledon doubles, a fan on X doubled down on the American legend’s current condition, speculating on the severity of her injury while questioning why Wimbledon allowed her to get away without a fine for not appearing for her official press conference. Coach Stubbs has, however, backed Williams on this one and replied to the fan, saying:
“I I would normally not respond to such idiotic comments but….her knee was drained after the match. This wrap is to help with swelling! She has a physio with her everyday. They know how to treat her. She doesn’t need a brace!!”
— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) July 5, 2026
She then got a rebuttal from the user who argued that Williams’ knee injury was an old one and not a sudden mishap and that she should not have been granted permission to not attend the press conference. The fan also claimed that Williams was treated irregularly before Stubbs fired back again:
Williams withdrew from Wimbledon on Saturday due to the rising levels of her knee injury, and it remains to be seen if the 23-time Grand Slam champion comes back in action anytime soon.
Serena Williams’ History With Rennae Stubbs
Serena Williams and Rennae Stubbs share history, as the two frequently faced each other in many tournaments during the 2000s before forming a player-coach relationship. When Williams was just an up-and-coming star, Stubbs had already earned the World No. 1 ranking in doubles and famously squared off with the Williams sisters at the 2009 Wimbledon finals for a doubles showdown, partnering with Samantha Stosur, but lost to the Americans in straight sets.
After departing from her athletic career in 2011, Stubbs donned the role of a coach, and a decade later, partnered with Williams to coach her for the 2022 U.S. Open, where Williams lost in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic.
Stubbs returned with Williams in June to coach the 23-time Grand Slam champion for her first match in four years.
Read more:
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