Williams’ comeback hits its first defeat as Routliffe and Olmos win in Berlin
The first defeat of her return: Serena Williams and new partner Karolina Muchova lost 6-4, 6-4 to Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos in the Berlin first round, a fortnight into a comeback that has captivated tennis.
Serena Williams and Karolina Muchova, Berlin 2026 | © Juergen Engler / nordphoto GmbH / SIPA
Serena Williams suffered the first loss of her tennis comeback on Tuesday, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and new partner Karolina Muchova beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos in the first round of the doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open.
It was only the second match of a return that has gripped the sport. Williams, 44, came back to competition earlier this month for the first time since the 2022 US Open singles, partnering Canadian Victoria Mboko in the doubles at Queen’s Club. That pairing won its opening match to the delight of the crowd, only to withdraw the following day when Mboko was injured, ending the partnership after a single outing.
Williams quickly found a new partner in Muchova, the world No 10 in singles, for the grass-court event in Berlin.
Against an established and in-form pairing, the new combination could not find a foothold. It was the second time in as many weeks that Williams had faced Routliffe, after she and Mboko beat the New Zealander and Nicole Melichar-Martinez at Queen’s the previous week – but this time Routliffe, alongside Mexico’s Olmos, came out on top, taking both sets 6-4 to advance.
Williams gave little away about her plans before the tournament. “Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” she said in a pre-event statement, adding that she wanted to keep building momentum through the grass-court season.
Where that takes her next – further grass events, or straight on to Wimbledon, where she’ll play with her sister Venus – remains to be seen.
