LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 09: Serena Williams of the United States and Victoria Mboko of Canada wave to the crowd following victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand during the Women’s Doubles first round match on Day Two of the HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club on June 09, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)
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Serena Williams’ return to the tennis court at Queen’s Club has ended prematurely after doubles partner Victoria Mboko withdrew from the tournament Thursday with a knee injury.
Williams, 44, and Mboko, 19, pulled out of the doubles competition, ending their run before their second-round match.
Mboko suffered the injury during her singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday. The teenager left the court in tears after retiring while trailing 6-2, 3-4 in the second set. The injury casts doubt on her availability for Wimbledon.
Williams and Mboko beat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the opening round on Tuesday and were due to face Canada’s Layla Fernandez and Germany’s Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Williams, the 23-time major champion and GOAT of women’s tennis, was making her first competitive appearance since the 2022 U.S. Open.
Williams is set to continue her comeback at the Berlin Tennis Open with an unnamed partner. That event begins on June 15,