LONDON — Serena Williams and Andy Murray are out of the Wimbledon mixed doubles tournament.
The high-profile duo lost to top-seeded Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the third round Wednesday, ending Murray’s return to the All England Club after missing last year with a hip injury.
The pair was broken twice to fall behind 4-0 in the third set on No. 2 Court and lost when Murray netted a forehand return on match point.
“We had so much fun. We aren’t ready for it to be over,” Williams said. “But we both are obviously focused on our health, both of us actually, taking it literally one day at a time, seeing what happens from there.”
Mixed doubles is played at every Grand Slam, but at Wimbledon this year it became an event. Rarely does a team feature two singles champions, let alone two who are as beloved and successful at Wimbledon as the eight-time champion Williams, and Murray, the man who ended the 77-year title drought for Great Britain at its home Slam, and has won twice at the All England Club.
“I just love Andy’s spirit,” Williams said. “It’s so fun to play with him. He’s so calm and chill. I loved having the support. It was amazing. Hopefully I can still have it.
“I think to play on this stage with Andy, who has done so well here for so many years, is literally just a lifetime experience. I’m so happy that I got to experience it.”
Murray said he appreciated the opportunity to get to know Williams better.
“We don’t know each other extremely well. Haven’t spent lots of time with Serena,” Murray said. “She was so into it, so competitive, which is cool. I like that. Some people might just see it as being maybe mixed doubles. We’re playing it to have fun and get matches.”
“That was the thing that was nice whilst we were on the court,” he said. “She was really into wanting to win and pumped. I like that.”
Williams still has a chance to win her eighth Wimbledon singles trophy, though, as she takes on Barbora Strycova in the semifinals on Thursday.
Murray, who hasn’t played singles since having hip surgery in January, lost in the second round of the men’s doubles tournament.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.