Serena is back - American great makes winning return to court at Queen's

LONDON, June 9 : Serena Williams stole the show at Queen's Club on Tuesday as the American icon marked her eagerly awaited return to competitive action with victory nearly four years after her last match.

The 44-year-old mother of two daughters announced last week she had taken a wildcard to partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the grasscourt WTA event and her re-appearance on a London lawn has been the talk of sport ever since.

She did not disappoint either, showing minimal signs of rust and plenty of her trademark firepower and fighting spirit as she and world number nine Mboko beat third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2) 6-2.

"It was so much fun, it felt so natural playing with Vicky," a beaming Williams said on court. "I guess I've got nothing better to do, I'm tired of sitting at home, my kids are out of school this summer so why not?"

Widely-regarded as the greatest female player of all time with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 319 weeks as world number one, Williams never officially retired, instead saying that she was 'evolving' away from tennis.

But when she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the U.S. Open in September 2022 and bade an emotional farewell, few thought she would return to write another chapter in a sporting story that has inspired millions.

On Tuesday, a few miles down the road from Wimbledon where she won seven singles crowns, Williams stepped out in late afternoon sunshine in front of a packed stand and at times it looked like she had never been away.

Kitted out in light pink and white, Williams looked laser-focussed as she began her warm-up for the match, going through her routines as her incredible career record was read out.

Evening doubles matches at