{"id":263097,"date":"2026-06-11T12:55:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T12:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/263097\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T12:55:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T12:55:51","slug":"williams-queens-run-over-as-injured-mboko-withdraws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/263097\/","title":{"rendered":"Williams’ Queen’s run over as injured Mboko withdraws"},"content":{"rendered":"

Serena Williams’ doubles campaign at Queen’s has been curtailed as her playing partner Victoria Mboko has withdrawn with a left knee injury.<\/p>\n

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, 44, made her return to tennis on Tuesday after almost four years away from the sport.<\/p>\n

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The pair had been scheduled to play their quarter-final on Thursday but Mboko, 19, suffered a nasty fall<\/a> in her singles match on Wednesday, which forced her to retire from the match.<\/p>\n

Trailing 6-2 3-4 against Karolina Pliskova, the Canadian teenager cried out in pain as she went down clutching her knee and she limped off the court in tears.<\/p>\n

It means her compatriot Leylah Fernandez and Germany’s Laura Siegemund, who they were scheduled to face in the doubles on Thursday evening, advance to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Williams returned with a winning performance on Tuesday as she and Mboko won 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 to upset third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.<\/p>\n

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Playing 1,375 days after her last competitive match, Williams – one of the greatest players of all time – didn’t look a touch out of place as she rediscovered her powerful serve and groundstrokes.<\/p>\n

The extent of Mboko’s injury has not yet been confirmed but there are concerns that the world number nine could miss Wimbledon, which starts on 29 June.<\/p>\n

Wimbledon wildcard for Williams?<\/p>\n

Despite her Queen’s campaign coming to an end, Williams’ comeback is set to continue as she has signed up to play doubles in Berlin next week.<\/p>\n

The Times has reported<\/a> that she will team up with Czech Karolina Muchova, the world number 10, in the German capital.<\/p>\n

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Wimbledon’s wildcard committee will meet next Tuesday to decide which players they would like to invite into the main draw.<\/p>\n

Williams has not yet publicly indicated whether she wishes to play at the championships.<\/p>\n

“Of course I would be delighted and excited if that were to happen,\u201d Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Club (AELTC) told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was fantastic seeing her hit balls over the net at Queen’s. We have our wildcard committee coming up, but I am sure it will take into account her success in the championships when making that decision.”<\/p>\n

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