Serena Williams' Coach Disagrees with Caitlin Clark Over Controversial Knee Incident

Serena Williams' coach, Rennae Stubbs, has come out in disagreement with Caitlin Clark's claims of a non-call during the Indiana Fever's recent game against the Golden State Valkyries.

What happened?

During the second quarter of the game, Clark attempted a layup when she came into contact with Valkyries center Kiah Stokes, and the latter's knee hit the WNBA star's right quad. Clark expected a defensive foul, but referee Gerda Gatling paid no heed. In an interview following the game, Clark reflected on the situation, stating she had to continue with a painful bruise. "I got kneed in the quad. That hurts. The ref can’t miss that. And then I have to play with a contusion in my leg the rest of the game. It’s ridiculous. Can’t miss calls like that. She (referee) said I initiated the contact, which is fine; you can’t knee me in the leg, knock me over.” One of the fans rallied behind Clark, suggesting the referee missed the foul. "The foul was here. If you knew hoops, this is a routine and-1 call."

Why it matters for Serena Williams

However, Stubbs shared an interesting observation, stating that although the defender illegally reached near Clark, the knee collision wasn't foul-worthy. "The reach in, yes, foul. The corked knee, no! 😆…. A few fans aligned their views with those of Stubbs.

What comes next?

Serena Williams, who has been dealing with her own injury issues, is expected to return to the court during the hard-court season. According to American journalist Lewis Jonathan Wertheim, Williams' knee injury has been healed, and she is ready to return to the court. "The fate of the Williams sisters. Start with the good news: the knee injury that cut short Serena's Wimbledon return and kept her out of doubles. It looks like it's healed because we are getting news that she will be back on the hard courts this summer. So first, let's go to Washington DC, where Venus, at age 46, has a wild card into the main draw." "Serena is expected to be there as well, though it's uncertain whether it will be just for doubles or for doubles and singles," he added. "I'm told that the Williams sisters will see how they feel since an....is entirely possible as a next stop, and then both are expected to be at the 2026 US Open, starting with the mixed doubles.

Serena Williams won her first match after the comeback alongside Victoria Mboko at the HSBC Championships.

The Indiana Fever were defeated by the Golden State Valkyries by an 88-75 lead on 18 Jun 2026.