Serena Williams returns to tennis, partners with Canadian Victoria Mboko

Serena Williams, 44, made her first appearance in a competitive tournament in almost four years when she received a wild‑card entry for the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships on Queen's Club in London. She will play alongside 19‑year‑old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who entered the top‑10 of the WTA rankings this season.

Williams said the comeback is driven by personal reasons rather than pressure to win, noting that she wants her children to see her on court and that she simply enjoys the chance to compete again. She added that she is not planning a singles return at this time and is focused on the doubles event. Mboko, born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to parents who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in Toronto, has rapidly risen from world No. 333 to No. 9, securing multiple titles and becoming the fourth Canadian woman to reach the top ten.

The pair’s opening match will be against the No. 3 seeded team of Nicole Melichar‑Martinez and Erin Routliffe. Williams re‑entered the sport’s drug‑testing pool in February, satisfying eligibility requirements for the tournament.