Serena Williams will make her eagerly anticipated return to professional tennis playing doubles alongside Victoria Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian ranked No. 9, as wild-card entries at Queen's Club next week. The 44-year-old American, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open. Mboko confirmed the pairing on Thursday in an Instagram post, writing that it was an honour to share the court with one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Where will Williams and Mboko play?
The pair will compete at Queen's Club in London, a WTA 500 grass-court tournament running from June 8 to 14. Williams and Mboko practised together on the grass courts in west London on Thursday, with Williams seen hitting balls in a purple top and white pants. According to ESPN, Williams said in an announcement that grass has given her some of the most meaningful moments of her career and that Queen's Club felt like the perfect place to begin her next chapter.
What comes next for Williams?
Williams has yet to announce whether she plans to play at Wimbledon or the U.S. Open in 2026. Wimbledon begins June 28. Her return to competitive play follows her re-entry into the World Tennis Association's anti-doping testing pool last year, which sparked widespread speculation about a comeback. She formally announced her return earlier this week on social media, ending years of stepping away from the sport after previously saying she was "evolving away from tennis."
Why Mboko matters
Mboko, from Burlington, Ontario, recently advanced to the second round of the French Open, where she defeated Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic. When asked about the possibility of playing with Williams after her French Open victory, Mboko said she wanted to let the moment belong to Williams and felt it was up to the American legend to announce her own return on her own terms. Mboko has called Williams her idol and expressed admiration for the fact that Williams even knows who she is.
Williams' doubles legacy
Williams has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her sister Venus, and the pair remain undefeated in major finals. She has earned over $94 million in prize money throughout her career and is believed to be the highest-paid female athlete of all time.
Sources
- Sportsnet.ca: Victoria Mboko, Serena Williams to team up in doubles. Published June 4, 2026.
- ESPN: Serena Williams' comeback begins with Mboko as doubles partner. Published June 4, 2026.
- CFJC Today Kamloops: Serena Williams' tennis comeback to begin with 19-year-old doubles partner Victoria Mboko. Published June 4, 2026.
- The Star: Tennis-Williams to partner Canada's Mboko on competitive return at Queen's Club. Published June 4, 2026.
Reported from public sources.