Serena Williams breaks silence on Meghan Markle Wimbledon visit

Serena Williams has defended close pal Meghan Markle after the royal was accused of diva-like behaviour at Wimbledon.

Last week the Duchess of Sussex made a surprise visit to Wimbledon to watch Williams play courtside, reports News.com.au.

But Meghan's Wimbledon appearance attracted a flurry of negative press, with those sitting nearby reportedly warned by security not to take photos of her.

Speaking at a Wimbledon press conference on Friday, Williams was asked by one reporter whether Meghan would watch her play in the finals given the "negative media" surround her last appearance.

"You know I didn't know there was negative media out there," Williams replied. "Every time I see her name attached to anything I don't read it."

The tennis superstar also praised Meghan — who she has been close with since meeting at a celebrity volleyball event in 2014 — for being a good person.

"She couldn't be a better friend to me — low moments, high moments she's always there and that's all I want to be to her," she said.

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle have been longtime friends. Photo / Supplied

Tennis fan Hasan Hasanov was photographed being told off by the Duchess of Sussex's security team for snapping a selfie of himself with the players in the background.

Questions were also raised about why Meghan and her two friends sat in the middle of rows of empty seats while on an earlier visit Kate Middleton had been surrounded by the public.

An official organising the Duchess of Sussex's visit later admitted it had been difficult, saying to The Times: "It was a nightmare, she was a nightmare".

Meghan was accused by the official of having "self-regarding paranoia" and breaking dress code.

They said: "They couldn't invite her into the Royal Box because she was wearing jeans but that didn't really matter because all she wanted to do was come and watch Serena."