SERENA WILLIAMS’ doubles comeback at Queen’s is OVER after her partner Victoria Mboko was forced to withdraw through injury.

Mboko, 19, retired from her singles match on Wednesday following a nasty fall.

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Victoria Mboko suffered a nasty fall at Queen’s on Wednesday Credit: Getty

Mboko, 19, partnered Serena Williams in the 44-year-old’s comeback on Tuesday Credit: Getty

Williams, 44, handpicked Mboko to be her partner for her return to professional tennis following nearly four years of retirement.

The pair got off to a brilliant start on Tuesday, beating No3 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 6-2 in front of a packed Andy Murray Arena crowd in West London.

Mboko launched her singles campaign on Wednesday at the Queen’s Club, facing veteran former Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova.

Trailing 6-2 3-4, the teenage rising star carved out three break points.

CRUEL BLOW

Serena Williams’ Queen’s comeback all but over as partner Mboko forced to retire

Mboko is checked by the chair umpire and opponent Karolina Pliskova Credit: Getty

Victoria Mboko was devastated following her fall at Queen’s Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

As Pliskova fired a winner past her on the third, Mboko slipped while trying to change direction behind the baseline.

The horrible moment drew a gasp from the near-capacity crowd, with the chair umpire and Pliskova both rushing over to check on Mboko.

After around a minute she gingerly got to her feet and hobbled over to her chair.

Following a quick consultation with doctors, during which Mboko appeared to cry into her towel, the decision was made to retire from the match with a left knee injury.

Mboko receives a medical check on court Credit: PA

The teenager had been trailing Karolina Pliskova on Andy Murray Arena Credit: Getty

Williams and Mboko had been due to take on Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund last on Andy Murray Arena later today.

Mboko did not immediately withdraw from the doubles event, instead heading for scans.

Having left it overnight, the world No9 pulled the plug this morning.

Rules dictate that an injured doubles player cannot be replaced once the draw has been made, meaning that Williams and Mboko were forced to pull out as a team – with Fernandez and Siegemund straight through to the next round.

Williams, 44, was on the practice court at Queen’s on Wednesday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

Williams’ return alongside Mboko drew in a capacity crowd Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

Williams went on to post a picture of herself with Mboko during Tuesday’s match to her Instagram story.

Tagging her doubles partner, captioned it: “You’re an incredible talent, and you’ll be back out there in no time.

“Wishing you a speedy recovery.”

Mboko reposted the message to her own Instagram story.

Williams is set to return to action in Berlin next week as she mulls over whether to accept a Wimbledon wildcard.

The Times report that she will play with former French Open singles finalist Karolina Muchova in Germany.

On her SW19 prospects, Williams said after her match on Tuesday: “It’s just a day at a time. I still have a little time to decide, and they have been great about giving me that space and time to decide.”

The American icon has remained coy on whether her comeback may extend to the singles court too.

Williams could theoretically accept a singles or doubles wildcard into Eastbourne, should she require a third tune up event before Wimbledon.

She famously played at Devonshire Park back in 2022, gracing the leafy seaside town alongside Ons Jabeur.

Mboko, meanwhile, is now a major doubt for Wimbledon.

The wonderkid reached the second round at SW19 as a lucky loser last year, but is due to be a top 10 seed this time around following a meteoric rise, should she be able to shake off this knee injury in time.

Stylish Karolina Muchova is set to team up with Williams next week Credit: Getty

Williams played alongside Ons Jabeur at Eastbourne in 2022 Credit: Getty