Tennis legend Serena Williams will make her first professional appearance in nearly four years on Tuesday when she competes in the women's doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has been granted a wildcard entry and will partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the grass-court tournament, a key warm-up event ahead of Wimbledon.
Williams, 44, last played competitively at the 2022 US Open, where she announced she was “evolving away from tennis.” She and Mboko will face third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez in the opening round.
Speaking ahead of her comeback, Williams said her return is largely motivated by a desire for her daughters to see her compete. She also indicated that while her immediate focus is doubles, she has not completely ruled out a future return to singles competition.
After Queen's Club, Williams is also scheduled to play doubles at the Berlin Open later this month as she continues her unexpected return to the sport.
