Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Serena Williams Returns to Doubles at Queen’s Club.

6/9/2026

34 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Williams Returns

Serena Williams returns to professional tennis in women’s doubles at the Queen’s Club Championships on June 9, 2024.
She partners 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko after receiving a wildcard on February 22, 2024.
Their first-round opponents are Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
The match starts at 12:30 pm ET (5:30 pm BST).
After Queen’s, Williams will play the Berlin Open starting June 15, 2024.

Summary

Williams Plans Return

Serena Williams announced her comeback on June 1 and secured a wildcard for the 2026 Queen’s Club event.
She rejoined the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s registered drug-testing pool in late 2025, a prerequisite for competition.
She said she may aim for a singles return but needs more training before deciding.
She cites family motivation, with daughter Adira turning three in August and daughter Alexis turning nine in September.

History

Historical Context

After Kim Clijsters used a 2009 US Open wildcard to become the first unseeded mother champion—winning the title and later headlining a record-breaking 35,681-spectator exhibition at Belgium’s King Baudouin Stadium—high-profile players have repeatedly turned to wildcards to revive careers. In 2024 Serena Williams accepted a Queen’s Club wildcard, pairing with Victoria Mboko and rejoining the ITIA testing pool.

1 of 3

Williams Returns

Serena Williams returns to professional tennis in women’s doubles at the Queen’s Club Championships on June 9, 2024.
She partners 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko after receiving a wildcard on February 22, 2024.
Their first-round opponents are Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
The match starts at 12:30 pm ET (5:30 pm BST).
After Queen’s, Williams will play the Berlin Open starting June 15, 2024.

1 / 3