Serena Williams' highly anticipated return to professional tennis at the Queen's Club has come to an abrupt end after just one match. The 44-year-old American's doubles partner, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, was forced to withdraw from the tournament on Thursday, June 11, due to a knee injury sustained during a singles match against Karolina Pliskova in the last 16 on Wednesday.
Williams' First Match Since 2022
In her first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open, Williams teamed up with Mboko to defeat the third-seeded duo of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 at the grass-court event on Tuesday. The pair was scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.
Withdrawal Confirmed
Mboko's withdrawal from the women's doubles was confirmed on Thursday morning, with Fernandez and Siegemund receiving a bye to the semifinals, effectively ending Williams' comeback. Williams had only confirmed her return last week after announcing her partnership with Mboko at Queen's Club.
Williams on Her Return
When asked about her decision to return to tennis, Williams said: "I had nothing better to do, I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?" She added: "I never got to play here, it was always just the men. It feels really special to play somewhere so iconic."
Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at Wimbledon, before stepping away from the game. At the time, she described herself as "evolving" away from tennis rather than retiring.
