Serena Williams will continue her long-awaited return to professional tennis at next week’s Berlin Open despite seeing her doubles campaign at the HSBC Championships in London’s Queen’s Club cut short by partner Victoria Mboko’s injury.
The former world No. 1 had marked her return to the WTA Tour with an impressive victory alongside Mboko after the wildcard pair defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 on Tuesday. The match was Williams’ first professional appearance since the 2022 U.S. Open.
“Some moments mean more than trophies,” Williams wrote on social media Thursday, describing her week at Queen’s Club as a memorable experience.
However, the pair’s run came to an abrupt end after Mboko injured her left knee during her second-round singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old Canadian slipped on the grass court while trailing 6-2, 4-3 and was unable to continue, forcing her to retire from the match. The injury also compelled Williams and Mboko to withdraw from the doubles tournament.
As a result, Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund advanced to the semifinals by walkover. They will face either second-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani or the pairing of Iva Jovic and McCartney Kessler.
Despite the disappointing end to her Queen’s Club appearance, Williams confirmed through the WTA that she intends to continue her comeback schedule by competing at the Berlin Open next week, where she is expected to build momentum ahead of the grass-court season’s biggest events.
The 44-year-old American, who owns 23 Grand Slam singles titles, also used her social media post to offer encouragement to her injured partner.
“What a fun and memorable week at the HSBC Championships. Thank you to everyone who made it so special,” Williams wrote.
“Get well soon, Vicky Mboko. I can’t wait to see you back on court.”
Williams’ appearance at Queen’s Club generated widespread attention as it marked her return to professional competition after nearly four years away from the tour. While her comeback remains in its early stages, her decision to continue playing in Berlin signals her determination to regain competitive rhythm on grass before the remainder of the summer season.
The Berlin Open, one of the WTA Tour’s premier grass-court events, is expected to feature many of the world’s leading players and will serve as a key tune-up tournament ahead of Wimbledon.
