Serena Williams wins doubles match in tennis comeback

Serena Williams Returns to Professional Tennis in Nike Pink Ensemble

Serena Williams made her long-awaited return to professional tennis on Tuesday at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, stepping onto the court in a soft pink Nike tennis ensemble nearly four years after her last competitive match.

A Winning Comeback

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, now 44, partnered with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in the women’s doubles draw, defeating third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 7-6(2), 6-2 in an hour and a half on the Andy Murray Arena. The victory secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 event.lta

Williams had not competed professionally since the 2022 US Open, where she played her final match before stepping away from the sport. She accepted a wild-card invitation to the doubles event in late May, announcing the decision through a joint campaign with Nike.espn

The Look

For her return, Williams wore a delicate pink Nike tennis outfit featuring a pleated skirt, white tank top, and matching pink jacket, paired with Nike Air Zoom Vapor X shoes. The ensemble drew immediate attention, continuing Williams’ tradition of making fashion statements on the tennis court.wwd

The outfit was part of her ongoing partnership with Nike, which she had celebrated just weeks earlier when she appeared at a campus renaming event at Nike’s headquarters in Oregon.oregonlive

What Comes Next

Williams told reporters ahead of the tournament that her motivation was simple. “Why not?” she said when asked why she decided to return. She has said she has nothing to prove with her comeback.abcnews

Beyond Queen’s Club, Williams is also planning to compete in doubles at the Berlin Open the following week, though her partner for that event has not yet been confirmed. The grass-court swing leads into Wimbledon, though Williams has not indicated whether she intends to enter the All England Club draw.nytimes