Serena Williams did not take long to remind tennis fans why she is one of the sport’s biggest names. The 44-year-old American made a winning return to professional tennis on Tuesday at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, nearly four years after her last competitive match. Playing doubles with 19-year-old Canadian star Victoria Mboko, Williams helped beat third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand 7-6(2), 6-2 in the opening round. The comeback had been one of the biggest talking points in tennis since Williams accepted a wildcard for the grass-court event. Fans packed the stands at Queen’s Club to watch her first match back. While there were questions about how she would look after such a long break, Williams quickly settled in and showed the power, movement and confidence that made her a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion. Together, she and Mboko controlled the match after a tight opening set and moved into the next round.
Serena Williams and Victoria Mboko defeat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe at Queen’s Club
The partnership between Serena Williams and Victoria Mboko was one of the most interesting stories of the tournament. Mboko, one of the fastest-rising young players in women’s tennis, matched well with the former world No. 1. The pair stayed calm during a close first set before taking charge of the match in the second.After the win, Williams said she enjoyed being back on court and playing with Mboko. Speaking during her on-court interview, she said, “It was so much fun, it felt so natural playing with Vicky.” She added with a smile, “I guess I’ve got nothing better to do, I’m tired of sitting at home.” Reuters reported that the American looked comfortable throughout the match and showed very few signs of rust despite her long absence from competition. The victory also moved Williams and Mboko into the quarterfinals and gave fans hope that more appearances could follow during the grass-court season. Williams is also expected to play in Berlin later this month as she continues her return to the sport.