Serena Williams’ bid to win the Queen’s Club doubles title on her return to professional tennis came to an early end on Thursday after her partner, Victoria Mboko, withdrew from the tournament due to injury.
Williams, returning to competitive action for the first time in four years, had made a winning comeback on Tuesday when she and Mboko defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in straight sets in the opening round of the grass-court event in west London.
The pair were scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals, but Mboko pulled out hours before the match after failing to recover from a left knee injury sustained during her singles clash with Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old Canadian, who is ranked world number nine, suffered the injury after slipping on court and was unable to complete the match. Visibly distressed, she was heard telling medical staff that there was “no stability right now” in her knee.
Mboko opted against risking further damage by competing in the doubles alongside Williams, effectively ending the pair’s campaign.
Tournament organisers confirmed the withdrawal, leaving Williams to turn her attention to her planned return at next week’s Berlin Open, where she is expected to team up with Karolína Muchová as she continues her comeback tour.
Williams has not yet confirmed whether she will compete at Wimbledon, where she is a seven-time singles champion and six-time doubles winner alongside her sister Venus Williams.
Her return to Queen’s—her first competitive match in 1,375 days—had drawn significant global attention, with the 23-time Grand Slam champion saying she was motivated in part by the chance to play in front of her daughters, Olympia and Adira, who were courtside for her comeback victory.
Speaking after her first-round win, Williams admitted she was still adjusting to competitive tennis after her long absence. When asked to rate her performance, she said: “Oh my god! What do you think? A C minus?”
She added: “All the elements, considering coming back on grass is probably not the easiest surface. Overall, I think it was decent.”
Her potential appearance at Wimbledon will depend on a wildcard decision by the All England Club. Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said the tournament’s wildcard committee would finalise its selections next week, noting the widespread excitement surrounding Williams’ return.
“She has certainly created a fantastic buzz, and that’s exciting for the sport,” Bolton said.
Williams’ comeback—her first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open—has sparked global interest, with her return widely seen as one of the most high-profile moments in recent tennis history.
AFP
