Serena Williams Returns with Doubles Victory at HSBC Championships

Serena Williams returned to professional tennis in doubles at the HSBC Championships, pairing with Victoria Mboko to defeat Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 7-6(2), 6-2 in the first round and advance to the Queen's Club quarterfinals; the comeback, her first competitive action since the 2022 U.S. Open, featured a strong first serve percentage (78.3% on first serves), a tiebreak win in the opener, and Williams closing the match with an ace, as the duo converted three of five break chances and outperformed their opponents in both serve and return points (service points won 42–37, return points won 22–19).