Serena Williams, 44, has reportedly asked for a doubles wildcard to play alongside 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko at the Queen's Club Championships in London, which begin June 8, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. This would mark Williams' first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open, her last tournament before stepping away from the sport [1, 2, 4, 3].
Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, but has not played since losing in the third round at the 2022 US Open [1, 2, 4, 3]. She told media in August 2022 she was "evolving away from tennis" but denied preparing to return then [1, 2, 3].
Despite this, Williams rejoined the tennis anti-doping testing pool last year, a requirement for tournament entry [1, 2, 3]. British outlets reported her request for a wildcard to team with emerging talent Victoria Mboko, who has expressed excitement about a potential partnership [1, 2, 3].
"I feel like if she's ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it's up to her to announce that," Mboko told reporters at the French Open. "Serena and I have stayed in touch. She's my idol, it’s really cool she knows me and follows my results," she added [1].
Fellow players have also reacted positively. Naomi Osaka said she looked forward to seeing Williams back on court, expecting it to draw audience interest. "Everyone knows Serena and Venus were my role models growing up," Osaka said. "She always brings people to watch tennis. I'm going to be tuned into the first match, for sure" [3].
Teen star Coco Gauff called it a regret never playing Williams, saying, "If they are true, I guess we’ll find out in a couple days" [3].
The Queen's Club doubles event starts June 8 in London, providing a potential stage for Williams' return [1, 2, 3]. The wildcard request is yet to be officially confirmed, and Williams has not made a public announcement about a comeback. Meanwhile, Mboko urged patience, emphasizing the decision is Williams' to make [1, 2, 3].
