The status of Victoria Mboko’s doubles partnership with Serena Williams became uncertain following an injury that forced the Canadian to withdraw during her opening singles match at the HSBC Championships in London.
Williams, 44, marked her return to tennis on Tuesday with an impressive victory alongside Mboko in their inaugural doubles match. The pair triumphed over Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe, and they are set to compete against Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund on Thursday evening at Queen’s Club.
In her singles match, Mboko, who had received a bye into the last 16, was trailing a set but leading Karolina Pliskova 4-3 in the second when disaster struck. As she attempted to return a shot, the young athlete slipped and went into a split, prompting gasps from the audience.
Clearly distraught, Mboko was seen speaking with the medical staff. Although she initially managed to stand and put weight on her leg, the official reason for her retirement was later confirmed as a left knee injury.
Despite the circumstances, Mboko managed to walk to the bench on her own, though she buried her face in a towel as she continued to consult with her team. Eventually, the umpire announced her retirement from the match, which was met with supportive applause from the crowd.
