Serena Williams and Karolina Muchova crashed out of the Berlin Open doubles draw on Tuesday, losing 6‑4 6‑4 to Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe. The defeat came hours after Williams received a wild card for Wimbledon women’s doubles alongside her sister Venus. At 44, Williams had only managed one competitive match this year, a quarterfinal win at Queen’s.

The pair held the first break point at 3‑2 in the opening set but failed to convert, then surrendered a break to Olmos/Routliffe at 3‑3. A similar pattern unfolded in the second set, with the Mexican‑New Zealand duo breaking for a 3‑2 lead and sealing the match in 91 minutes. The loss leaves Williams unlikely to compete again before Wimbledon starts on June 29.

Williams, a 23‑time Grand Slam singles champion and seven‑time Wimbledon singles winner, has focused on doubles after her limited schedule. A win would have bolstered her preparation for the grass‑court season, but the early exit forces her to consider a possible singles wild card while eyeing warm‑up events in Eastbourne or Bad Homburg. Her performance remains a talking point as the tournament approaches.