After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams made an impressive return to the court on Tuesday, reminding fans why she remains one of the sport’s greatest players.Playing at Queen’s Club in London, the 44-year-old teamed up with rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko in the doubles event. Despite her long absence, Williams showed she has lost none of her trademark power, firing serves at speeds of up to 120 mph (around 193 km/h) and helping the pair secure a straight-sets victory.Watch:Williams and Mboko defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2. To cap off the win, Williams served out the match in style with two aces and a service winner.The 23-time Grand Slam champion was all smiles after her first professional match since the 2022 US Open.“It was so fun. I had so much fun playing with Victoria,” Williams said in an on-court interview. “She really was able to hold up the team and really play big on the big points. I could really rely on her. We’ve never played together but it just felt so natural playing with her.”
Rising star Mboko thrilled to share court
Mboko, just 19 years old and already ranked No. 9 in the world, was equally delighted to play alongside one of tennis’ biggest icons.“I feel very honoured to play with Serena,” Mboko said, standing next to the 23-time Grand Slam winner. “I had a lot of fun, if anything. We really did that out there. I’m so happy to be playing beside you. And we’re going for more.” Williams announced last week that she would return to doubles competition, though she has not yet decided whether she will also make a comeback in singles. For now, her winning return and powerful serving performance have already become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.
