London - Top seed Serena Williams has taken her usual, smaller bedroom at the house she and her habitually entourage rent during the Wimbledon fortnight - even in the injury absence of elder sister Venus.
Williams admits she feels a bit alone without her sibling by her side with the pair now unable to defend their 2012 women's doubles title with half of the team out of action.
The sister act have won 10 of the last 13 women's singles titles, with both on five. But Williams says sibling rivalry has never been a factor in the family.
"For me there is no family competition, but this is the first year I believe I've played Wimbledon and Venus hasn't been here. I feel so lonely. I feel like something is missing.
"So I talk to her all the time more than usual. I'm still staying in the small room because she always had the bigger room. I just can't imagine being in the bigger room.
"She told me before I left, 'snap out of it. It's time for you to pass me.' So that was really encouraging. So hopefully I'll be able to do it."
Williams called her sister's absence "like a little cloud. Every time I walk into the home I'm like a little sad. I look in her room. She always had music in the morning. We kind of always dance in the morning. She's definitely really missed."