Serena Williams adds Berlin Open to comeback tour after Queen's Club entry
Synopsis
Serena Williams is back — and she means it. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has now confirmed two grass-court doubles appearances: Queen's Club alongside teenage Canadian Victoria Mboko, and the Berlin Open starting 15 June. After nearly four years away, the 44-year-old's comeback is shaping up as the defining tennis story of the summer.
Key Takeaways
Serena Williams has confirmed doubles appearances at both Queen's Club Championship (London) and the Berlin Tennis Open (from 15 June ).
She will partner Victoria Mboko at Queen's Club ; her Berlin doubles partner is yet to be announced.
Williams has not played professionally since the 2022 US Open — a gap of nearly four years .
The Queen's Club appearance will be her first at the venue, which only reopened to women in 2024 after a 51-year exclusion.
Williams holds 23 Grand Slam singles titles , 73 WTA singles trophies , and 14 Grand Slam doubles crowns with sister Venus Williams .
Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, has confirmed her participation at the Berlin Tennis Open, adding the WTA 500 grass-court event to a comeback schedule that begins at Queen's Club Championship in London next week. The 44-year-old has not competed professionally since the 2022 US Open, making her return one of the most anticipated comebacks in recent tennis history.
The Comeback Schedule Takes Shape
Williams will first appear at Queen's Club in the doubles draw alongside Victoria Mboko, a rising Canadian teenager, after the pair received a wildcard entry into the 16-team doubles competition. The London event will also mark Williams' first-ever appearance at the historic venue — women were barred from competing at Queen's Club between 1973 and 2024, making this year's edition the first in which she could participate.
Berlin Confirmed, Partner Yet to Be Named
Berlin Tennis Open organisers confirmed that Williams will compete in the doubles event at their tournament, which begins on 15 June. Her doubles partner for the Berlin leg has not yet been announced. The event follows directly in the grass-court swing after Queen's Club, allowing Williams to build match rhythm ahead of any further commitments.
'Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception. I'm excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season,' Williams said in a statement on the official Berlin Open website.
Why This Return Matters
Williams' departure from professional tennis after the 2022 US Open was widely regarded as a farewell. Her reappearance — nearly four years later — has generated substantial interest across the global tennis community. This comes amid a broader trend of veteran champions returning to the tour in doubles formats, using the lower-intensity format to reacclimatise before any potential singles commitments.
Notably, Williams is returning at 44, an age at which sustained competitive tennis is exceptionally rare. The grass-court season, with its premium on serve and net play — two of her historic strengths — is a strategically sound entry point.
A Career of Unmatched Records
Williams' professional record stands among the sport's all-time benchmarks: 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 73 WTA singles trophies, 186 consecutive weeks as world No. 1, and five year-end top rankings. In doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams, she claimed 22 titles, including 14 Grand Slam crowns without losing a final, and four Olympic gold medals.
How Williams performs across the grass-court swing will likely determine whether her comeback extends into the hard-court season and, potentially, the Grand Slams.
Point of View
But it also raises the central question her comeback has yet to answer: is this a sustained return or a farewell lap in a different format? The grass-court swing is forgiving for a serve-dominant player, and the wildcard route bypasses ranking requirements, but the physical and competitive demands of a full tour schedule at 44 are a different matter entirely. The Berlin and Queen's Club appearances will be closely watched not just for results, but for movement, conditioning, and match intensity — the real indicators of what comes next. Tennis has a complicated history with 'retirement' announcements that weren't, and Williams' 2022 US Open 'evolution' framing left the door deliberately open. Whether this is a genuine comeback or a carefully managed curtain call will become clearer by Wimbledon.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will Serena Williams make her tennis comeback?
Serena Williams will begin her comeback at the Queen's Club Championship in London, competing in the doubles event alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko. She will then play doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open, which begins on 15 June.
Who is Serena Williams partnering at Queen's Club?
Williams will partner Victoria Mboko, a rising Canadian teenager, at the Queen's Club Championship. The pair received a wildcard entry into the 16-team doubles draw.
Why has Serena Williams been away from tennis?
Williams has not played a professional match since the 2022 US Open, which was widely regarded at the time as her farewell appearance. Her absence spans nearly four years before this confirmed return.
What is significant about Serena Williams playing at Queen's Club?
Queen's Club excluded women from competing between 1973 and 2024, making the 2025 edition the first at which Williams could participate. It will mark her debut at the historic London venue.
What are Serena Williams' career achievements?
Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 73 WTA singles trophies, spent 186 consecutive weeks as world No. 1, and finished five seasons as year-end top-ranked player. In doubles with Venus Williams, she won 14 Grand Slam crowns without losing a final and four Olympic gold medals.
