Serena Williams’ doubles partner is young enough to be her daughter

Victoria Mboko had heard the rumors that Serena Williams was coming back to tennis, but didn’t know much more than that.

Until she got a message last month. From Williams.

“Serena … asked if I wanted to play doubles with her here. I wasn’t partnered up with anyone, so I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, why not? That’s pretty cool,'” Mboko recalled on Sunday, June 7.

“It’s really exciting to play with her,” Mboko said, “and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Williams and Mboko will play doubles Tuesday, June 9, at the HSBC Championships in what will be Williams’ first tournament in almost four years.

Here’s more on Mboko:

How old is Victoria Mboko?

Mboko is just 19 years old, 25 years younger than Serena Williams. She’ll turn 20 on Aug. 26.

Where is Victoria Mboko from?

Mboko, who goes by Vicky, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, where her parents had moved in 1999 to flee political turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The family moved to Toronto when Mboko was two months old.

How did Victoria Mboko begin playing tennis?

Mboko is the youngest of four children. Her older siblings play tennis and, like so many other youngest children, she followed what they were doing. She first picked up a racket when she was 3.

“I just remember watching them from the sidelines and not wanting to be left out,” Mboko told the WTA.

Did Victoria Mboko look up to Serena Williams?

Mboko’s family would go to the Rogers Cup, now the National Bank Open, in Toronto, and Mboko remembers watching Williams and older sister Venus play there. She also would watch Williams’ matches on TV.

“Growing up, Serena has always been my idol,” Mboko said. “It was really hard not to like her because she won like every tournament she played. She was a really easy idol for me.”

Has Victoria Mboko had success as a pro?

Mboko has had a quick rise, going from No. 333 in the world at the beginning of 2025 to No. 9 currently. She is only the fourth Canadian woman to reach the top 10.

Mboko played in her first WTA 1000 event at the Miami Open in 2025. Not even four months later, she had her first win, beating Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka on her way to the title at the National Bank Open, her “home” tournament.

Mboko won her second title at the Hong Kong Open last year, and was voted the WTA’s Newcomer of the Year. This year, Mboko has made the finals in Adelaide, Qatar and Strasbourg.

“I was quite impressed with her game, I was impressed with her attitude,” Williams said, recalling her impressions of Mboko after watcher her win her first tournament.

“What I liked the most about her was the next time she played, she still kept winning. I was like, ‘OK, I love that.’ It reminded me a lot of myself,” Williams added. “Sometimes you win one and then you have a little bit of a lull. Which is normal, and that’s OK as well. But I loved how she had this drive.”

What has it been like to play with Serena Williams?

Mboko didn’t really know Williams before they started practicing last week. But it’s been “a pleasure” so far.

“She’s a really funny person,” Mboko said. “I feel like I can learn a lot from her but, at the same time, I think we can have a lot of fun.

“I really admire her a lot,” Mboko added. “I’m just really excited to step out with her.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Serena Williams’ doubles partner Victoria Mboko is rising tennis star