Serena Williams is headed for a busy summer this year. After an extended period away from tennis, the legend has thrilled her devoted fans by taking the court once again in a competitive setting. She started her comeback campaign earlier this week at the Queen’s Club Championships in London.
Williams accepted a doubles wildcard, pairing up with 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. After a convincing win in the first round, though, their run reached an abrupt halt when Mboko, who was also competing in singles, injured her knee during her match against Karolina Plíšková.
She retired in tears from the match and subsequently pulled out of her and Williams’ doubles quarterfinal against Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund. The Canadian, who is one of the most promising teenage prospects on the WTA Tour, has yet to disclose the extent of her injury.
As for Serena Williams, her next destination is Germany. She has accepted another doubles wildcard at the Berlin Tennis Open (June 13-21). At the event, Williams is expected to partner with Karolína Muchová, a former French Open finalist.
Wimbledon Reacts to Serena Williams’ Return to Competition
After Mboko’s devastating fall, Williams wrote a heartfelt message, wishing the rising star a speedy recovery. She also fondly reflected on the time she spent with her daughter, Olympia at the tournament. The Instagram post caught the attention of tennis lovers, and Wimbledon’s official account unexpectedly chimed in.
“Wishing @vickymboko a speedy recovery. See you at SW19 for The Championships, Serena,” the now-deleted comment read.
The reply, seemingly premature, was soon taken down, but eagle-eyed fans were quick to speculate on Williams’ potential return to Wimbledon. Meanwhile, the All England Club’s chief executive, Sally Bolton, said on Thursday, “What I can say is we can all see how much excitement Serena being back on a tennis court, and particularly back on a grass court, has created.”
Bolton then hinted at a potential wildcard. “One can only imagine what that would be like if it was the Championship. The wild card committee will make their decisions formally next week, and we’ll be communicating those early next week.”
“She has certainly created a fantastic buzz, and that is exciting for the sport,” Bolton said in the press conference, according to Reuters.
All England Club Chair Debbie Jevans added, “And as and when at the meeting next week, I’m sure it won’t ignore her success at Wimbledon when making that decision.”
MORE: Serena Williams Reacts to Partner Victoria Mboko’s Injury at the Queen’s Club Championships
Williams has yet to disclose whether she plans to compete at Wimbledon. She is one of the most successful athletes the tournament has seen. She won seven singles titles, six women’s doubles titles with sister Venus, and one mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi. The 23-time Grand Slam singles winner additionally won gold in singles and women’s doubles at the 2012 London Olympics held at SW19.
