Serena Williams and Karolína Muchová lose first-round doubles at the Berlin Open; comeback setback ahead of Wimbledon.
Tennis: Serena Williams exits 2026 Berlin Open after first-round doubles defeat ahead of Wimbledon return
Serena Williams exits 2026 Berlin Open after first-round doubles defeat ahead of Wimbledon return
Serena Williams and Karolína Muchová suffered a straight-sets defeat to Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos at the 2026 Berlin Open, ending the American’s unbeaten start to her comeback before Wimbledon.
Serena Williams ’ encouraging return to competitive tennis hit its first setback on Tuesday (16 June) as she bowed out of the 2026 Berlin Open doubles draw at the first hurdle.
Fresh from a winning return to the WTA Tour last week, 44-year-old Williams and new partner Karolína Muchová of Czechia were beaten 6-4, 6-4 at the WTA 500 grass-court event by established doubles pair Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos in the opening round at the Steffi Graf Stadion.
The defeat marked the first loss of Williams’ latest comeback just hours after confirming that she and sister Venus Williams will reunite for doubles at Wimbledon later this month.
On paper, Williams and Muchová looked a dangerous combination, blending one of the greatest players in tennis history with a current Top 10 singles talent. Muchová had spoken enthusiastically about the opportunity to share the court with the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion before the match.
“It’s not every day you get to see Serena again, " the Czech star said of her partner.
In reality, they were handed one of the toughest possible opening assignments.
New Zealand’s Routliffe, a doubles Grand Slam winner, and Mexico’s Olmos arrived as an experienced partnership, and their chemistry proved decisive throughout the tightly contested matchup.
The pair secured the lone break of the opening set before repeating the feat in the second, converting two of their four break-point opportunities while never allowing Williams and Muchová to break serve.
Williams and Muchová pushed their opponents to deuce several times and produced strong returns, but the New Zealand-Mexico pairing eventually served out the match to advance to the next round.
For Routliffe, the result also carried a tinge of revenge. Just a week earlier, she and Nicole Melichar-Martinez had fallen to Williams and Victoria Mboko during Williams’ comeback event at Queen’s Club.
The bigger target for Williams now looms on the horizon at Wimbledon, where she will once again join forces with Venus in one of the most anticipated doubles pairings of the summer.
The pair have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and boast a perfect record in major finals. With their wildcard secured, the next chapter of Williams’ comeback unfolds at the All England Club on 29 June.
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Picture by 2026 Getty Images