Williams, 44, to return to action in Queen’s doubles

Williams, 44, to return to action in Queen’s doublesImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Serena Williams’ 23 Grand Slam singles titles is more than any other woman in the Open eraPublished17 minutes agoSerena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, will make her return to competitive action after an absence of almost four years in the women’s doubles at Queen’s Club later this month.She has been granted a wildcard for the tournament which begins on 8 June and, although her partner has not yet been officially verified, it has been widely revealed that she will play alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.The 44-year-old American “evolved away” from tennis in 2022 after winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her 27-year career.Rumours of a return began last year when her name appeared on the list of players registered for the drug-testing pool.Williams denied she was returning, but the whispers got louder when her name was included on the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reinstatements list in February.On Monday, she shared a video on social media of her walking on to a tennis court containing the caption: “Guess everybody heard the news”, alongside a post which stated: “Good news travels fast.”Williams stated: “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.”Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”Williams will take the court in London at the WTA 500 event 196 weeks after her final appearance at the 2022 US Open.Mboko, 19, is one of the most exciting prospects in the women’s game and is ranked ninth in the world in singles.Speaking after her second-round match at the French Open last week, Mboko described Williams as her “idol”.Mboko lost in the third round at Roland Garros on Saturday to former Australian Open champion Madison Keys.Wimbledon, where Williams has won seven singles and seven doubles titles, begins three weeks after Queen’s.She would need a wildcard to compete but the prospect of Williams playing on the SW19 grass once again is a tantalising one for organisers.Williams expected to make comeback at Queen’s