Serena Williams makes winning comeback in doubles at Queen's Club with Canada's Mboko

After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams showed she still has plenty of power to her game as she made a winning return at Queen's Club on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old Williams hit service winners of up to 120 mph and some ferocious winners as she teamed up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko to win their opening doubles match at the Queen's Club grass-court tournament.

Williams and Mboko beat third-seeded duo Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 in Williams' first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open. They next face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.

As if to punctuate that she's back, Williams served out the first-round match with two aces followed by a service winner.

"It was so fun. I had so much fun playing with Victoria," Williams said in an on-court interview. "We've never played together but it just felt so natural playing with her."

Serena Williams victorious in her return with Canadian doubles partner Victoria Mboko

Later, though, Williams gave herself a modest grade in her post-match news conference.

"A C-minus," Williams said, before cutting herself some slack. "With all the elements, considering coming back on grass is probably not the easiest surface. ... Grass, four years. Overall, I think it was decent."

Perhaps more than decent, given the quality of the opposition. Routliffe is a two-time U.S. Open champion in doubles and Melichar-Martinez has made the doubles final at both Flushing Meadows and Wimbledon.

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Sure, Williams' performance was uneven, and at times it looked like she may have lost half a step. But it was clear she can still compete at a high