Serena Williams Wins Tennis Return With Doubles Victory

Serena Williams scored a decisive doubles win in her return to pro tennis on June 9, ending a four-year layoff for the 23-time Grand Slam singles winner.

Williams, 44, paired with Canada's Victoria Mboko, 19, in the first round of the HSBC Championships women's doubles at Queen's Club in London.

Williams and Mboko defeated American Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2.

Williams and Mboko move on to the tournament's quarterfinals against the pairing of Canada's Leylah Fernandez and Germany's Laura Siegemund.

After four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams is still her harshest critic. In an on-court interview with Tennis Channel's Chris Eubanks after her straight sets victory, Williams said she and doubles partner Victoria Mboko, "had a lot of fun" but said there's room for improvement in her own performance.

Williams constantly chatted to Mboko during changeovers and gave advice to her 19-year-old partner. Contrary to Williams' typically focused and serious on-court demeanor, she and Mboko exchanged smiles and laughs throughout the match.

Williams and Mboko's next doubles match in the quarterfinal round is scheduled for Thursday, June 11. They will play against Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund.

Lindsey Vonn, who knows something about epic career comebacks, shouted out Serena Williams after the win on June 9. "The GOAT is back," Vonn said in a video posted to the WTA's X account.

Serena Williams started her comeback off with an upset victory after she and doubles partner Victoria Mboko won in straight sets against No. 3 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe. Fittingly, it was Williams who served for the match. She served back-to-back aces to set up match point, then unloaded another 116 mph bullet.

Mboko added she thought, “both of our game styles, I feel like, complement each other really well.” Williams and Mboko celebrated with a high five and, after shaking hands with their opponents at the net, waved to acknowledge the crowd.

Serena Williams and her doubles partner Victoria Mboko are up 5-2 in the second set and need to win just one more game to secure victory over No. 3 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe. Following a tight first set win that ended in a tiebreak, Williams and Mboko pressed on the gas pedal and went up two quick breaks in the second set.

Williams and Mboko got a crucial break and went up 2-1 in the second, but only after a strange review.