Victoria Mboko Discloses Extent of Injury for the First Time, Apologizes to Serena Williams

Victoria Mboko’s grass season was cut short just a day after she began her run on the surface. The Canadian, who partnered with Serena Williams at Queen’s Club, slipped on the grass during Wednesday’s singles match and injured her knee.

A couple of days after the tragic incident, Mboko has shared an update on the injury while also apologizing about her and Williams’ premature exit.

Victoria Mboko Hoping To Team Up With Serena Williams Again

As she trailed Karolína Plíšková 2-6, 4-3, Mboko fell during a lateral movement while positioning herself behind the baseline. The 19-year-old screamed in pain as she lay on the ground. She was soon assessed by the physio courtside and ultimately retired from the match in tears.

The following day, she withdrew from her doubles match with Williams. The pair had reached the quarterfinals after opening their campaign with a straight-sets win. In her message, Mboko said she suffered a medial collateral ligament injury. The severity of the injury is unclear at present, but on June 12, the Canadian also pulled out of Wimbledon and next week’s Berlin Tennis Open.

“I wanted to provide a quick update given everything that has happened in the past 36 hours. Unfortunately, my fall on Wednesday caused an injury to the MCL on my left knee, which sadly means I will miss the remainder of the grass season. This unfortunately means Wimbledon too, a tournament I had been so looking forward to playing this year.”

“I am receiving the best medical care, and my team and I are focused on a return to court as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and sent messages of support; I am so grateful to you all!” she assured.

Addressing Serena Williams, the World No. 9 said, “Lastly, thank you @serenawilliams for giving me this incredible opportunity to play alongside you.”

She also expressed her desire to team up with the tennis legend again in the future. “I learned so much from you and am so sorry our tournament came to an end prematurely, but I hope we can play together again soon and finish what we started.”

MORE: ‘Back in No Time’ – Serena Williams Reacts as Partner Victoria Mboko Forced To Cancel Their Match

The pair’s withdrawal helped their opponents, Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund, secure a direct entry into the semifinals of the Queen’s Club Championships. Mboko will now hope to recover before the North American hardcourt swing, while Williams will continue her comeback on grass. She is scheduled to participate in doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open alongside Karolína Muchová.