Serena Williams Returns to Tennis at 44, Wins First Match

After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams stepped back onto the court and reminded everyone why she's a legend.

The 44-year-old superstar teamed up with Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko, 19, to win their opening doubles match at Queen's Club in London on Tuesday. Williams and Mboko defeated the third-seeded duo 7-6, 6-2 in a match that showcased Williams still has serious game.

Williams hit serves up to 120 mph and closed out the match with two aces and a service winner. Her last professional match was at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she said goodbye to tennis while famously saying she was "evolving" rather than retiring.

The crowd gave Williams a standing ovation the moment she walked onto the court at the Andy Murray Arena. Even British stars Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter, who played earlier that day, didn't receive the same thunderous welcome.

Williams graded herself a "C-minus" after the match, though her 19-year-old partner disagreed. "I thought she was moving great," said Mboko, currently ranked No. 9 in singles. One backhand winner at a crucial moment in the first set even surprised Williams herself, who laughed and high-fived her partner.

The match marked Williams' first appearance at the historic Queen's Club, which held its first championships in 1881 but only brought back women's tennis in 2025. "I never got to play here, it was always just the men," Williams said. "It felt really special to play some place so iconic."

The Ripple Effect

Williams' return means more than just another match. Her two daughters, Olympia and Adira, watched from the stands, with four-year-old Adira seeing her mother compete for the first time ever.

The comeback also brings fresh attention to women's tennis at historic venues that once excluded them. Queen's Club went more than 50 years without hosting a women's tournament before reopening its grass courts to female players last year.

Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles during her legendary career. Watching her mentor a teenage partner while still competing at the highest level shows the next generation what's possible.

Williams and Mboko advance to the quarterfinals, where they'll face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund. Williams is also scheduled to play doubles at the Berlin Open next week, though she remains undecided about playing at Wimbledon, which starts June 29.

For now, she's taking it one match at a time and clearly enjoying herself again.