Serena Williams is back in the winner’s column, as the US tennis icon made a triumphant return to the court in Tuesday’s 7-6, 6-2 doubles victory alongside partner Victoria Mboko.
Playing in her first pro match since 2022, wildcard entry Williams and singles world No. 9 Mboko won a tricky first set against No. 3 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe before comfortably taking the second.
“I was nervous, but I didn’t really think about it,” Williams said postmatch. “I just thought about having fun, which I did.”
The 44-year-old hasn’t confirmed her plans beyond this week’s HSBC Championships, opting instead to stay focused on Thursday’s quarterfinal.
“I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?” Williams told reporters. “I never got to play here, it was always just the men. It feels really special to play somewhere so iconic.”
