Serena Williams comeback hopes took an unexpected hit this week. The 44-year-old tennis legend was forced to exit the HSBC Championships tournament at Queen’s Club, not because of her own health, but because of her partner’s.
Williams teamed up with 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. The duo started strong, winning their opening match in straight sets. Fans celebrated. Serena was back. Then everything changed.
The next day, Mboko played a singles match. During that contest, she suffered a knee injury severe enough to force her withdrawal. By Thursday morning, tournament officials confirmed the bad news: the doubles match was off as well.
The Victoria Mboko knee injury means Williams and her young partner will not face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals. Instead, those two players advance without stepping onto the court. No contest. No comeback story. Just an empty walk to the next round.
Here is the good news: this Serena Williams comeback was never meant to be a single appearance. She is scheduled to compete next week at the Berlin Open. Williams has admitted she is not thinking too far into the future. But she also said she does not have anything better to do at the moment, a casual flex from one of the greatest athletes alive.
Tuesday’s match marked Williams’ first since the U.S. Open in 2022. The layoff was long. The return was brief. But she is not done yet.
Mboko’s recovery timeline remains unclear. Williams will likely need a new partner in Berlin. One thing is certain: the legend is not going back into retirement just because of one bad break.
