Serena Williams' Queen's Doubles Run at Risk After Victoria Mboko Suffers Knee Injury

Williams' Queen's Doubles Campaign Hangs in the Balance

Serena Williams' remarkable comeback at Queen's Club has hit a significant obstacle after her doubles partner Victoria Mboko sustained a knee injury during her singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.

The 44-year-old Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, had made a highly anticipated return to professional tennis on Tuesday — her first competitive appearance in nearly four years. Partnering with the 19-year-old Canadian, the duo had already turned heads by eliminating the third seeds from the draw.

Mboko's Painful Fall Casts Shadow Over Quarter-Final

The mood quickly shifted when Mboko suffered a troubling fall while attempting to reach a Pliskova forehand during the second set. The young Canadian cried out in pain as she slipped and went down gripping her left knee. Although she managed to get back on her feet moments later, Mboko was visibly distressed — covering her face with a towel before ultimately retiring from the match and limping off the court in tears.

Pliskova, who had been leading 6-2, 3-4 at the time, expressed her sympathy for the young player. "It's such a shame. I think we played quite a good game and she was improving as the match was going on," said the 2021 Wimbledon finalist. "I wish her only the best. It's not the way I want to win, so hopefully she is going to be fine for Wimbledon."

Williams and Mboko are scheduled to face Canada's Leylah Fernandez and Germany's Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals on Thursday at 17:30 BST, though that fixture now remains uncertain.

Former British number one Annabel Croft reflected on the unfortunate incident during BBC Two's coverage. "It's a heartbreaker — you hate to see that. She would have been so excited to play alongside Serena again. It's just a classic grass-court injury where the legs go in different directions and the knee twists. You just hope and pray she's not ruled out for Wimbledon."

Croft added: "She's absolutely devastated, and it's devastating for the fans watching her, because she is such a great, bright hope who has been performing brilliantly on tour."

Wimbledon, the sport's only grass-court Grand Slam, gets underway on Monday, 29 June.

Anisimova Impresses in Queen's Return

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Amanda Anisimova made a confident return to grass-court tennis, cruising past Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-3 in a polished performance at Queen's Club.

The 24-year-old American is still carrying the scars of last year's Wimbledon final, where she suffered a crushing 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Poland's Iga Swiatek — the first time a woman had claimed a Wimbledon title with a double bagel since Dorothea Lambert Chambers in 1911. Despite that painful experience, Anisimova showed the resilience and grass-court pedigree that took her to the All England Club final in the first place.

"It was an incredible year for me last year," reflected Anisimova, who also reached the runner-up spot at the 2025 US Open behind Aryna Sabalenka. "There were highs, and there were tough moments with lessons I had to learn — but those are the experiences that shape you as a person and an athlete. I'm trying to carry everything I learned into this season."

The second seed, who received a first-round bye, will next face fellow American Iva Jovic in the quarter-finals.

Jovic Beats Eala Again as British Trio Prepare for Last-16

The 18-year-old sixth seed Jovic defeated her close friend Alexandra Eala, 21, for the second time in a fortnight, winning 6-2, 6-2 on Andy Murray Arena. The pair had also met in the first round of the French Open, with Jovic prevailing on that occasion too.

"There is no bad blood," Jovic said afterward. "We were talking in the locker room straight after — it's all good, and we're back to being friends off the court."

The day's final singles match, between former Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic and Czech player Marie Bouzkova, was suspended due to rain with Vekic holding a 6-5 lead in the opening set.

British Players Set for Last-16 Action on Thursday

All three remaining British hopefuls take to the court on Thursday for their round-of-16 encounters. Emma Raducanu faces the in-form Sorana Cirstea, Katie Boulter meets Romanian Jaqueline Cristian, and Harriet Dart plays lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova — after her originally scheduled opponent Belinda Bencic withdrew due to a minor ankle injury.