Serena Williams marked her return to competitive tennis with a doubles victory on Tuesday at the Queen’s Club Championships in London. Partnering with Victoria Mboko, the 44-year-old defeated third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 7-6(2), 6-2. The win came nearly four years after her retirement following the 2022 US Open.
Williams and Mboko advanced to the quarterfinals, where they are scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund on June 11. The 23-time Grand Slam champion served at speeds up to 120 mph and closed the match with an ace. Mboko said after the match, “We had a lot of fun.”
