Serena Williams’ return to tennis went exactly as planned, until Victoria Mboko‘s injury upended it. Williams dominated her HSBC Championships debut, winning 7-6, 6-2 with Mboko. Initially seen as serious contenders, their campaign is now in serious doubt after Mboko suffered an injury during her singles clash against Karolina Pliskova, forcing Serena to pivot strategy just days before the Berlin Open.

The 44-year-old will be playing alongside Karolina Muchova at the German capital next week. The quick partner swap makes sense: Muchova’s serve-and-volley thrives on grass. This playstyle is especially effective on grass courts, and it also sets her apart from most of the players on the WTA tour.

Muchova has played doubles once this season, with Priscilla Hon at Brisbane in January. Though the Czech does have experience of playing in the format, it remains to be seen if she will be able to form a strong pair with Serena.

Though there were question marks over the American’s fitness as she announced her return, she shrugged them all off with a superb performance at the Queen’s Club. She played a monumental role in her and Mboko’s victory over the duo of Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

Serena fired multiple aces and clocked 120 mph on serve, mostly cracking 100 mph. The 44-year-old even clocked a speed of 120 mph on her serve during the first set, and her serves mostly cracked the 100-mph barrier quite comfortably. Despite the stunning display in the first round, there is no guarantee that Serena and Mboko will be in action again at the HSBC Championships.

This comes after the Canadian had to retire from her quarterfinal clash against Pliskova. She suffered a nasty fall on the court while trailing 2-6, 4-3 in the match. The 19-year-old’s knee twisted due to the fall, and she was left with no choice but to withdraw. Mboko was in tears as she limped off the court, and there are now major doubts surrounding her fitness.

Serena and Mboko face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals on Thursday, June 11. But it is now unclear if the match will go ahead. The American may as well be focusing on her upcoming appearance at the Berlin Open, which will commence on June 15.

However, this isn’t the first time Williams has been in the situation. At the 2022 Eastbourne Invitational, her partner, Ons Jabeur, had to withdraw due to a knee injury, ending the tournament run short. The situation now is eerily similar, and if parallels are to follow, she will likely withdraw from the Queen’s Club.

As Serena continues to play doubles after making her long return to tennis, fans are left wondering if she will be in singles action in the coming months. Serena addressed the singles question ahead of her HSBC Championships debut.

Serena Williams reveals if she will be in singles action anytime soon

Though many want to see Serena compete in singles once again, she has yet to provide any clarity on the matter and is unclear about it herself.

“For singles? I can’t say yeah, I can’t say no, I would probably need to train more,” she had said during a press conference on June 7. “That’s not my journey now. I don’t need to win; I’ve won more than most people in their whole lives. For me, it’s not important. I have to remind myself of that. I don’t have anything to lose. Everything here is to gain.”

Like the HSBC Championships, Serena has never played at the Berlin Open either. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is a part of the thrilling draw at the tournament that includes nine out of the top 10 players.

“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” she had said in the tournament’s press release. “I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”

Will Serena’s next competitive appearance come in Berlin itself, or will she go on to reach the semis alongside Mboko at the HSBC Championships? We will have to wait and see.