It's that time of year when the British summertime gets overtaken by all things sport. From the 2026 World Cup to the new Wimbledon tournament, everyone and their nan is championing their favourite athletes as the warmer weather rolls in. In the world of tennis, eagle-eyed viewers have already spotted several famous faces sitting in the royal box, from David Beckham to Katherine Jenkins.

But later this month, viewers may see the Duchess of Sussex grace the Centre Courts to support her friend Serena Williams after making a surprise comeback more than four years away from the sport. Meghan Markle last visited the UK in 2022 to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral with her husband, Prince Harry.

Now, the former Suits star is reportedly coming back, and it appears she's already bringing bad luck with her across the pond. I believe the mum-of-two's rumoured attendance has already spooked the Wimbledon courts - and it's bad news for Americans.

Superstition is no stranger to sports fans; everyone has their lucky token for the big games, be it a sweaty, unwashed football shirt or a favourite meal you have to eat during the match. Despite not being the biggest sports fan myself, I refuse to believe it's a coincidence that Williams's spectacular loss to Maya Joint came hours after rumours hit that Meghan may show her support in the royal box.

On Tuesday (June 30), the American tennis ace suffered a major blow when she fell from grace in the live televised event. The Australian tennis star took home an impressive 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 win against Williams in her first match since returning to the sport.

Since then, viewers have flocked to social media to share their suspicions that the bad luck stems from her US pal, and honestly? I have to agree. The last time she attended a match was back in 2019, where she was surrounded by empty seats, presumably for her own protection.

Not only did this bring a downer to the event, but she also took highly sought-after tickets from devoted fans who would have sold their soul to sit in the stands and watch a live match. It was embarrassing to watch and reeked of entitlement, ultimately taking the focus away from the game and onto her attendance.

And I'm not the only one who is hoping she skips the annual event. Several other Wimbledon fans flocked to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share similar suspicions online too. One user asked: "Is Serena Williams taking one for the team?

"She loses her Wimbledon comeback match, the second rumours hit that Meghan Markle might show up to 'support' her." They shared a clip of Meghan's 2019 appearance, in which she was surrounded by empty seats.

The user went on: "Meghan demands dozens of seats around her be emptied for 'security'. Cameraman zooms in tight to hide it, but photographers exposed the full scene. Narcissism on full display. Nobody wants a repeat."

Another asked: "Why would Wimbledon agree to this nonsense? Catherine must have been horrified!" as a third reassured fans: "There's no way she will turn up anywhere. She won't be allowed to leave the airport. Wimbledon will not let her behave like that again."

It's fair to say the nation's opinion of the former actress changed when the couple stepped back as senior royals shortly after their marriage in 2017. With the recent scrutiny surrounding their security measures, it's best to keep the negative energy away from any pitch or court.

As a nation, we take sport very seriously. If Meghan has any hope of winning over the UK during her upcoming visit, the best thing she can do is watch from a distance. This could be the best gift she could give us this summer.