Full story
Return at Queen’s Club
Serena Williams made a winning return to professional tennis at Queen’s Club in west London on Tuesday, teaming with Victoria Mboko to beat third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2.
“Serena returns: Williams makes a winning comeback in doubles at Queen’s Club with Mboko Serena returns: Williams makes a winning comeback in doubles at Queen’s Club with Mboko LONDON (AP) — After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams showed she still has plenty of power to her game as she made a winning return at Queen’s Club on Tuesday”
The New York Times said fans at the Queen’s Club in west London saw Williams’ first match in 1,375 days, and it described her serving “around 93 mph” before ramping up to 113.
AP reported that the 44-year-old Williams hit service winners of up to 120 mph in her opening doubles match with the 19-year-old Canadian Mboko.
BBC Sport said the pair won 7-6(7-2) 6-2 and quoted Williams saying, “I had nothing better to do, I got tired of sitting at home.”
Voices on the comeback
Williams told the media in London, “It was so fun. I had so much fun playing with Victoria,” and she added in an on-court interview that “It just felt so natural playing with her.”
The Guardian described a tense moment at 5-5, 30-30 when an audience member shouted, “Come on Serena, come on Victoria. You got it!”
BBC Sport reported that Williams gave herself a modest grade, saying, “What do you think? A C-minus?”
Mboko, who BBC Sport said was a Canadian teenager, responded to the performance question by telling the BBC, “I thought she was moving great.”
Next matches and decisions
AP said Williams and Mboko next face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals after their win over Routliffe and Melichar-Martinez.
“Serena Williams Explains Why She Ended Retirement, Made Return to Tennis for Queen's Club Doubles Serena Williams reflected on her return to professional tennis and explained why she ended her retirement following her doubles victory alongside Victoria Mboko at the HSBC Championships on Tuesday”
BBC Sport said Williams’ comeback was confirmed last week when it was announced she would be joining 19-year-old Mboko for doubles at London’s Queen’s Club, and it noted her first match win since the 2022 US Open.
France 24 reported that Williams would take part in the doubles at the Berlin Open from June 15-21, and it said her return to singles at Wimbledon was still a question.
BBC Sport quoted Williams saying, “It’s just a day at a time,” as she weighed whether to extend her comeback to Wimbledon, which starts June 29.
