Serena Williams plans comeback Queen, Canadian teenager excited for dream partnership

Tennis legend Serena Williams is reportedly planning a sensational comeback at the Queen’s Club, almost four years after her last professional appearance at the US Open in 2022. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is expected to push for a doubles wild card alongside rising Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who has emerged as one of the WTA Tour’s brightest young stars.

Mboko admitted she was excited about the prospect of partnering Serena and revealed the two have stayed in touch over the years. Serena, now 44, recently returned to the anti-doping pool and has been training ahead of a potential return to grass, with Wimbledon also being discussed as a possible target.

“Yes, I’m really happy. We stayed in touch with Serena, which was really nice because I really look up to her. The fact that she even knows who I am is incredibly exciting for me,” Mboko told reporters at the French Open.

“But I want to leave that moment to her. If she’s ready to come back on her terms, then it should be up to her to announce it. Other than that, I don’t have much to say. That moment is hers whenever she decides she’s ready to come back,” added Mboko.

“The fact that he even knows me is very exciting!”

Victoria Mboko on her friendship with Serena Williams after reaching the third round at Roland-Garros pic.twitter.com/1ABfC2VJ6U— TNT Sports (@tntsports) May 29, 2026

SERENA has ruled out any chance of a comeback

Last December, Serena re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) anti-doping testing pool, sparking widespread speculation about a possible return to competitive tennis. The ITIA confirmed to Reuters that Williams had rejoined the pool, a process that requires athletes to follow specific anti-doping protocols.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion has not competed since her last appearance at the US Open in 2022. However, Williams later firmly dismissed speculation of a returnmaking it clear that rejoining the test group does not necessarily signal an immediate return to sport.

“Oh yeah, I’M NOT COMING BACK. The fire is crazy,” Serena Williams wrote on X. Now, reports linking her to a possible appearance at Queen’s have reignited speculation about a potential comeback.

MBOKO UNTIL THE THIRD ROUND

As for Mboko, she continued her dream run at the French Open, storming into the third round after a fighting comeback victory over Czech star Kateřina Siniaková.

The 19-year-old Canadian recovered from a set down to seal a hard-fought victory and highlight why she is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in women’s tennis.

Mboko, who arrived at Roland Garros in strong form after the final in Strasbourg, has now reached the third round of the French Open for the second time in a row. Earlier in the tournament, she cruised past Nikola Bartunková in straight sets and looked more and more confident on clay.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

29 May 2026 16:16 IST