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Serena Williams’ comeback lasted just one match – and it’s already over, at least for now.
Williams, who spent 319 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world and won 23 Grand Slam titles before retiring in August 2022 following the U.S. Open, returned to competitive tennis this week at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London. She was playing women’s doubles alongside 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, currently ranked No. 9 in the world.
The pair won their first match in straight sets on Tuesday. Then things fell apart.
Mboko Withdraws, Ending Williams’ Return
A day after their doubles win, Mboko was forced to retire from her singles match against Karolina Pliskova after slipping on the grass and injuring her knee, going down 2-6, 3-4 at the time of her withdrawal. The injury pulled her out of the doubles draw as well, cutting Williams’ return short before it could really get going.
Williams had hinted at a comeback as early as six months after her retirement, but stayed away from the tour while focusing on other ventures with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Her decision to return at Queen’s Club – a tournament historically dominated by the men’s draw – caught plenty of attention.
“I don’t know, I had nothing better to do. I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not? I never got to play here; it was always just the men. It feels really special to play somewhere so iconic.”
That’s probably the most Serena Williams answer possible.
Berlin and Wimbledon Still on the Table
Despite the abrupt end to her Queen’s Club run, Williams has confirmed she’s planning to compete at next week’s Berlin Open. She’s also left the door open for a doubles appearance at Wimbledon, which would make for quite a homecoming on the sport’s most storied grass courts.
Whether this is the start of a longer return or just a summer detour remains to be seen – but it’s looking less like a farewell and more like a “see you soon.”
