LONDON — Serena Williams’ doubles career at Queen’s Club could end after one match.
The American star’s doubles partner Victoria Mboko injured her knee in a singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.
Williams and Mboko won their first doubles match on Tuesday, and the 44-year-old, who has returned to professional tennis after nearly four years away, is scheduled to play again on Thursday.
As of Wednesday night, Mboko and Williams remain on Thursday’s schedule to face Leila Fernandes and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals. This will be the last match of the day in the HSBC Championship.
When Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian, confronted Pliskova, she slid behind the baseline and immediately grabbed her left knee. Mboko lost the first set 6-2, but led 4-3 in the second and tried to break Pliskova’s serve at deuce.
Mboko got up on his own, but told a physical therapist that he didn’t feel stable right now.
She carefully walked over to the bench and sat down with a towel over her face. After a few minutes, she retired from the match.
“It’s very disappointing. I think we played a very good match and I think she got better as the match went on,” Pliskova said in the post-match interview. “I wish her the best of luck. I hope she’s okay for Wimbledon because this is not the way I want to win.”
Williams previously announced that she would also play doubles at next week’s Berlin Open.
On Tuesday, Williams and Mboko defeated third-seeded duo Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliff 7-6 (2), 6-2 in Williams’ first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
Mboko is ranked 9th in singles.
This report used information from The Associated Press.
