Clare Balding makes BBC announcement as Serena Williams causes a stir | Tennis | Sport

Clare Balding addressed the BBC cameras to make an announcement explaining why Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback is not scheduled to continue on Friday. Having lost in singles to Maya Joint on Tuesday, Serena is due to play doubles with Venus this week.

However, when the order of play for Friday was released, they were curiously omitted. Every single other women’s doubles match had been scheduled for either Thursday or Friday and the first round of the women’s singles competition typically takes just two days to complete.

Having flashed up a montage of Serena at SW19, Balding then explained why the six-time doubles champion was not on the schedule.

“We expect that they’re giving them an extra day; there can be flexibility on this,” Balding said. “We will expect to see them, if they are able to play, on the order of play for Saturday.”

Serena did pick up a knee injury in the three-set defeat to Joint that raised considerable doubt over whether she would be able to team up with her sister again.

Crutches were brought to Serena’s dressing room over fears she could not walk, according to The Times, but she was able to leave the venue unassisted.

On Instagram, Serena wrote: “It felt so good to be back on the grass at @wimbledon. I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card — and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.

“I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles with @venuswilliams. Congratulations to @maya.joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old.”

Serena had earlier caused a stir by skipping her media duties in the aftermath of the defeat to Joint.

Doing so can carry a fine of up to £38,000, but she had been granted permission to not speak in a press conference due to her injury.

Jill Smoller, Serena’s agent, said: “Serena tweaked her knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams.”