Serena Williams' long-awaited return to professional tennis lasted just two matches. Her doubles partner Victoria Mboko suffered a knee injury Wednesday at Queen's Club after slipping on the grass during her singles match, forcing her withdrawal and ending their run in the tournament.
Williams, competing for the first time in four years at age 44, had opened her comeback with a strong showing on Tuesday. She and Mboko defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2, setting the stage for a quarterfinal matchup Thursday against Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund.
That match will not happen. Mboko, seeded third in the singles draw, played her opening round match Wednesday after receiving a first-round bye. The injury struck in the second set against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. After being drawn wide and losing her footing on the slick grass, Mboko fell heavily and immediately grabbed her left knee. She retired from the match shortly after.
Queen's Club courts are renowned for their quality, but that same immaculate grass surface becomes notoriously slippery early in tournaments. The condition has claimed other players in previous years, with men's competitors among those who have tumbled and suffered injuries when caught off balance on the dewy courts.
For Williams, the setback is a minor footnote to a milestone comeback. She heads next to Berlin for a doubles wildcard assignment and is expected to receive a wildcard for Wimbledon doubles when the entry list drops next week.
Mboko's path forward remains murky. The young player now faces an injury recovery process whose timeline and severity are still uncertain, casting doubt over what is typically one of the brightest careers on the women's tour.
Author James Rodriguez: "Williams proved she can still compete at the highest level, but this abrupt ending is a reminder that even her comeback dreams depend on staying healthy and having partners who can do the same."
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