Following tennis ace Serena Williams’ long-awaited comeback to professional tennis, internet naysayers are holding Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle responsible.
A flood of viral social media backlash has targeted her, with claims that she is the reason the tennis legend was eliminated from Wimbledon in the opening rounds, thanks to rumors of an upcoming visit to the United Kingdom. But even the social media storm could not deter the commentators: Instead, a brutal match and opponent – not gossip – led to the star’s exit.
Serena Williams’ Rough Wimbledon Comeback
The 44-year-old tennis legend was eagerly awaiting her comeback to the courts at the All England Club for the first time since a three-year layoff. Williams’ comeback sparked excitement and anticipation from fans who had hoped to see her become the oldest singles champion in Wimbledon history-and it wasn’t the first time she made the attempt. In 2004, Martina Navratilova took the title at 47.
Although Williams’ comeback did display glimpses of the skill that landed her in the record books, her bid for glory fell apart during a tough first-round clash at SW19, ultimately falling 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 in a hard-fought three-set match to young Australian competitor Maya Joint.
Why Online Critics Are Targeting Meghan Markle
From a sports loss, an athlete’s retirement rumors quickly evolved into a full-blown trending royal controversy on Twitter. Users have dug up old photos of Meghan Markle’s previous Wimbledon visits and used her picture in an attempt to blame her for Williams’ loss. Online hate seems to be focusing on two issues:
- The “Support” Jinx: Critics are jokingly or maliciously insinuating that Williams’ loss occurred the moment internet chatter began to circulate that Meghan Markle would attend the match in support of her longtime friend.
- The “Empty Seat” Controversy From 2019: Some have unearthed an old video of Meghan Markle at Wimbledon in 2019, with claims that she insisted that dozens of adjacent seats be cleared for her private protection. Comments suggest that the Duchess’s reappearance at the tournament would somehow detract from the event itself.
Reality: However, not only has tournament commentators and royal observers clarified multiple times that there were standard protocols in place managed by Wimbledon security that determined how seats would be filled – not a personal request from the Duchess of Sussex – the claims against Markle regarding the 2019 incident have been largely debunked as a distortion of the events that transpired that day.
Given recent rumors about Prince Harry’s potential plans for a UK visit with his wife and children, many royal experts believe that the backlash the Duchess of Sussex has experienced as a result of Williams’ defeat at Wimbledon this week reflects public dissatisfaction and lingering tensions with the Sussexes. For more than a decade, Williams and the Duchess have shared a publicly friendly relationship.