Serena Williams wins comeback match at Queen's Club

Serena Williams opened her comeback with a victory in the women's doubles at Queen's Club, London, after 1,375 days away from competitive tennis. Alongside 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, Williams defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez/Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. It was the American's first WTA Tour appearance since the US Open 2022. Williams said she enjoyed being back in the match atmosphere and felt helped by Mboko's play on the key points. In the next round, the Williams/Mboko pair are scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez/Laura Siegemund. The win showed Williams remains competitive, even as she stressed this comeback was not about proving anything.