Serena Williams and her doubles partner, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, training on the historic lawns of West Kensington ahead of their tournament debut. Photo Credit: Victoria Mboko/Instagram
She said she was “evolving” — not retiring. And now, nearly four years later, Serena Williams is back. The 44-year-old American tennis legend and 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has confirmed her comeback to professional tennis, accepting a wild card invitation to play doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London — and her partner for the occasion is one of the most exciting young players on the WTA Tour right now.
Serena Williams’ tennis comeback will begin alongside Victoria Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian ranked number nine in the world, as wild-card entries at Queen’s Club from 8 to 14 June — one of the most prestigious grass court warm-up events on the tennis calendar ahead of Wimbledon. The pair have already practised together on the grass courts in West Kensington, London, with the 25-year age gap between them making this one of the most talked-about pairings of the grass court season. Williams said in a statement: “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter. Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”
A dramatic, low-lit studio portrait of Serena Williams sitting on a folding chair in a white tennis outfit, leaning forward over a tennis racket. Photo Credit: Serena Williams/Instagram
For Mboko, who was born in Burlington, Ontario, to Congolese parents, sharing a court with Williams carries a meaning beyond the match itself. The Canadian teenager posted a picture of the pair together on Instagram, writing: “The Queen is back. An honour to share the court with one of the greatest athletes of all time this week. Even more excited to play doubles together! Tennis is pretty special.” Speaking at the French Open ahead of the announcement, Mboko said of Williams: “I really look up to her. The fact that she even knows me is very exciting.”
Victoria Mboko holding the National Bank Open trophy at IGA Stadium in Montreal after defeating Naomi Osaka in the 2025 final.
Photo Credit: Victoria Mboko/Instagram
Williams stepped away from professional tennis in 2022 after a third-round loss at the US Open, and has yet to confirm whether her comeback will extend to a Wimbledon singles appearance or a run at the US Open 2026. What is confirmed is that the Serena Williams comeback is no longer a rumour — it is happening at Queen’s Club, on grass, alongside one of the brightest young talents on the WTA Tour, and the tennis world is watching closely.
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Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis at 44, partnering Congolese-Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko in the women’s doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London from 8 to 14 June 2026. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion stepped away from the sport in 2022 and has yet to confirm whether her comeback will extend to Wimbledon or the US Open.
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