Serena Williams marks return with win at Queen's Club
London, June 10
Tennis legend Serena Williams made a high-profile return to competitive action at Queen's Club on Tuesday, marking her comeback nearly four years after her last professional appearance.
The 44-year-old American, who recently accepted a wildcard entry to partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the grasscourt WTA event, drew significant attention with her return to a London court.
Williams showed little sign of rust as she combined power and experience with Mboko to defeat the third-seeded pair of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2.
The former world number one impressed with her trademark aggression and competitive intensity, delivering a strong performance that highlighted her enduring presence in the sport despite the long break.
"It was so much fun, it felt so natural playing with Vicky," Williams said on court, as quoted by Reuters. "I guess I've got nothing better to do, I'm tired of sitting at home, my kids are out of school this summer so why not?"
The 23-time Grand Slam women's champion has been handed a wild-card entry in the women's doubles draw at Queen's and is expected to team up with Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko.
Williams last won a Grand Slam singles title at the 2017 Australian Open while she was in the early stages of pregnancy.
Since then, she reached four more Grand Slam finals but fell short of equalling Margaret Court's record of 24 major singles titles.
She reached four more finals on her return from maternity leave, two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open, but was beaten in straight sets on each occasion.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I was skeptical when she took such a long break, but this win shows her class. The way she controlled the net and her serve—still world-class. As an Indian fan, I hope she inspires our young players like Ankita Raina and Sania to keep pushing boundaries. 🙌
Great to see her back, but realistically, can she challenge for a Grand Slam? The women's game is deeper now—players like Swiatek and Sabalenka are in their prime. Still, Serena's return adds excitement to Queen's and Wimbledon. Let's see if she can adapt to modern power tennis.
She's 44, a mother, and still playing at Queen's Club? That's incredible determination. In India, we often see sportspersons retire early, but Serena's example shows passion has no age. The way she teamed up with a young partner like Mboko reminds me of how Leander Paes mentored juniors. 🌟
I love Serena's honesty in press conferences! "My kids are out of school so why not?" 😂 That's such a relatable mom move. But I'm curious about her fitness after such a long gap. She played with aggression here, but doubles is less taxing. Singles might tell a different story.
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