Serena Williams made a winning return to competitive tennis at the Queenโs Club Championships in London on Tuesday. However, she is still undecided about a possible Wimbledon appearance.
The 44-year-old stepped back into professional action for the first time since retiring in 2022, partnering Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the womenโs doubles event. The pair defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(4), 6-2 to progress to the quarter-finals.
After the win, attention quickly shifted to Wimbledon, where Williams has previously won seven singles titles, but she avoided confirming whether she will compete at the Grand Slam event.
“Like I said the other day, it’s just a day at a time. I still have a little time to decide, and they have been great about giving me that space and time to decide,” Williams said. Now, despite the victory, Williams was openly self-critical when assessing her performance.
“My God. What do you think? A C-minus? I got nervous right before the match, like, maybe 30 minutes before, and then I just let it go. With all the elements, considering coming back on grass is probably not the easiest surface. Overall, it was decent,โ Serena said.ย
Williams lauds partner Victoria Mboko
Statistically, Williams and Mboko finished with two aces, won 69 percent of their service points and converted three of five break-point opportunities. Even so, Williams felt there was room for improvement in key areas.
“I think Vicky’s doing great. I need to make some returns next match, which I will. I didn’t miss one in practice. That was a little embarrassing out there. But you know, the good news is we can do better. I can do better,โ she added.
Williamsโ return also carried personal significance, with her daughters, Olympia and Adira, present in London to watch her back on court. When asked about their reaction, she said: “Adira wanted to go to the toy store, and Olympia wanted to know what was for dinner.”
Williams and Mboko will next face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals on Thursday as speculation continues over whether the former world No. 1 will extend her comeback to Wimbledon.
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