Serena Williams Makes Competitive Return Alongside Victoria Mboko

At the beginning of the month, the 23-time singles Grand Slam champion announced her return to the sport. Her first tournament will be the HSBC Championships, where she is scheduled to play doubles alongside Canadian talent Victoria Mboko on Tuesday. The young Canadian is already ranked No. 9 in the world in WTA singles.

Serena Williams will be playing her first competitive match since the 2022 US Open. The North American pair have been handed a tough opening match, as they start their campaign against the third-seeded pair of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe. Both players are also doubles Grand Slam champions. 

It is unclear when, or if, Serena will return to singles action. Questions have been flying around about her motivation since she announced her return. And the 44-year-old sought to clarify before she graces the court again. She stated that for her, it’s now about having fun, going further to say:

“I don’t need to win. I’ve won more than most people have in their whole lives, so for me it’s not important. It’s important that I keep reminding myself of that because I don’t have anything to prove, I don’t have anything to lose, and everything here is just a gain”.

Victoria Mboko, also speaking about her new partner, had this to say:

“She’s hitting great. She has such clean ball striking, she could probably take years off, and when she steps on the court she could probably find that rhythm again and find her timing”.

“So I think that’s really a God-given gift that she has. I personally think she’s ready to go. I’m hitting with her, she’s hitting pretty big, and she’s really fit, so we’ll see.”

She’s ready… ⏳#HSBCChampionshipspic.twitter.com/TR045FcOSc

— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 7, 2026

Interesting words. Fans of the great American will certainly be hoping the young Canadian is spot on in her assessment, as she looks set to make her professional return. Time will tell!

Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports