Who will be Serena Williams' new double partner after Mboko's injury?
Serena Williams’ comeback was cut short after her partner was forced to withdraw due to injury.
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The Queen’s Club Championships kicked off the grass season for the 2026 calendar year, with interest in the tournament soaring due to the return of arguably the best ever WTA player in the sport’s history. Nearly four years after calling it quits, Serena Williams is back in competitive action.
She marked her return in some style, as alongside 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, the pair stormed into the quarter-finals with a comfortable straight sets win against the third seeded pairing of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
Williams showed signs of rustiness, but served incredibly well as the match progressed, nailing aces and big serves in crunch moments. The American was also ruthless at the net, putting away volleys with clinical precision. The duo were slated to play Laura Siegemund / Leylah Fernandez for a place in the semi-finals, but an unfortunate mishap ended their campaign in London.
Mboko, who is ranked #9 in the singles section, suffered a bad fall during her first-round match against Karolina Pliskova. She was unable to continue due to her knee injury and has now also withdrawn from the doubles match. The Canadian now finds herself in a race against time to be fit for the all-important Wimbledon Championship.
Despite a premature end to her run at Queen’s, Williams will soon be back in action at Berlin. The WTA-500 grass-court swing will next shift to the German (Berlin) Open, which is set to begin on June 17. Williams has already received a wildcard for the doubles field, where she will partner alongside Karolina Muchova.
Muchova is regarded as one of the finest all-court players on the WTA Tour, with her delicate touch, exceptional volleying, and intelligent net play making her a formidable doubles partner. The Czech star will be returning to action for the first time since her third-round exit at Roland Garros.
Muchova’s net play and variety, combined with Williams’ brute power and reflexes, could form a powerful combination, making them a must-watch pair in the Berlin Open.
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