After an absence of nearly four years from professional tennis, Serena Williams marked her return on Tuesday with a win at Queen’s Club in London. The 44-year-old tennis icon demonstrated her enduring strength, hitting service winners reaching speeds of up to 120 mph. This impressive display helped her and her partner, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, secure a win in their opening doubles match at the grass court tournament.
Williams and Mboko faced off against the third-seeded duo of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe. The pair clinched victory with scores of 7-6 (2), 6-2 in what was Williams’ first professional match since her appearance at the 2022 U.S. Open. She concluded the match confidently, serving two aces and a service winner.
Last week, Williams announced her decision to return to doubles play. However, she has yet to determine if she will pursue a comeback in singles competitions as well.