BERLIN, Germany — Serena Williams suffered a defeat in her doubles match at the Berlin Ladies Open on Tuesday, but the 44-year-old tennis icon declared she felt “nimble” and optimistic ahead of her highly anticipated return to Wimbledon later this month.
Williams, who is making a comeback to professional tennis after nearly four years away from the sport, partnered with Canada’s rising teenager Victoria Mboko in the first-round doubles match. The pair fell to the experienced duo of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, in what was Williams’ first competitive outing on grass since her first-round exit at Wimbledon in 2022.
Despite the loss, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion struck a positive tone in her post-match comments. “I felt nimble out there. It’s been a while, but the body responded well,” Williams told reporters. “This is a process, and I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m not putting pressure on myself to win every match right away. The goal is to get match fit and feel the rhythm again.”
The Berlin tournament is a crucial part of Williams’ carefully managed comeback strategy. Having accepted a wild card to play doubles at Queen’s Club in London, which begins June 8, she is using these grass-court warm-up events to prepare for Wimbledon, where she is a seven-time champion.
Williams has not competed on the WTA Tour since bidding farewell at the 2022 US Open, a tournament she described as “evolving away” from tennis rather than retiring. Her return became a real possibility when she re-registered with tennis’ mandatory anti-doping program in February, completing the required six-month period to become eligible to compete.
The American legend has also been teasing her comeback on social media, posting videos of herself training with her daughter and practicing serves on court for the first time since 2023. Her presence in Berlin has already generated significant buzz, with fans and media alike eager to witness the return of one of the sport’s most iconic figures.
However, questions remain about whether Williams will enter the singles draw at Wimbledon, which begins June 30. Her seven Wimbledon titles and the sense of unfinished business at the All England Club—following a tearful exit in 2021 due to injury and a first-round defeat in 2022—have fuelled speculation about a possible singles return. For now, Williams is focusing on the doubles format, partnering with Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian ranked No. 9, who has described the opportunity to play with her childhood idol as “very exciting.”
WTA chair Valerie Camillo described Williams’ return as “an expression of her passion for competition,” while fellow players like Coco Gauff and Madison Keys have expressed excitement at the prospect of competing against or alongside her again. As Williams continues her comeback, the tennis world will be watching closely to see if her “nimble” feeling translates into success on the grass.
