Unexpected End to Serena Williams' Return

Serena Williams' return to the women's circuit has hit an unexpected snag due to an injury sustained by her doubles partner, Canadian Victoria Mboko. The unfortunate incident occurred during Mboko's singles match against Karolina Pliskova, where a slip resulted in a left knee injury and her immediate withdrawal from the contest.

The injury immediately cast doubt on the pair's participation in the WTA Queen's 2026 quarterfinals, where they were scheduled to face Laura Siegemund and Leylah Fernandez. Confirmation of their withdrawal has now arrived, with Mboko opting out to avoid jeopardizing the remainder of her grass-court season.

Consequently, Serena Williams' stint on British soil concludes with a hard-fought victory in the previous round, alongside Mboko, over the third seeds, Routliffe and Melichar Martínez.

Despite this setback, the American tennis star's journey continues with renewed optimism. Her next stop will be the WTA Berlin 2026, where she will once again compete solely in the doubles discipline. Her new partner will be Karolina Muchova, the French Open finalist, forming a duo that promises to combine Williams' powerful serve with the Czech's subtlety and quality net play.

The ultimate goal remains Wimbledon. However, Serena's statements at Queen's suggest that a return to singles competition is not in her immediate plans, but rather a long-term objective. With her focus on conquering the doubles circuit, it remains to be seen if the American will achieve success in Germany before heading to the "Cathedral of Tennis."