Serena Williams returns with doubles win at Queen's Club

Serena Williams, 44, returned to professional tennis after a 1,375‑day hiatus, partnering with 19‑year‑old Canadian Victoria Mboko at the WTA 500 Queen's Club event in London. The pair defeated third‑seeds Nicole Melichar‑Martinez (USA) and Erin Routliffe (New Zealand) 7‑6(2), 6‑2 to advance to the quarter‑finals, where they will face Leila Fernandez (Canada) and Laura Zigmund (Germany). Williams recorded two aces and a serve clocked at 120 mph (about 193 km/h), demonstrating the power that made her a 23‑time Grand Slam champion.

The victory was celebrated by former alpine‑ski star Lindsey Vonn, who posted a congratulatory video saying, “Hey, Serena. Congratulations. So proud of you. The GOAT is back.” Williams noted she felt “fun” and “natural” playing with Mboko and indicated she may decide whether to resume a singles career later. The tournament’s prize fund totals $1.915 million.

Williams’ comeback marks her first professional match since the 2022 US Open and follows her re‑entry into the anti‑doping program, a requirement for future competition.