Serena Williams returns from retirement and stuns Queen’s Club with double win over Victoria Mboko (Image via Getty)

It didn’t take long for Serena Williams to remind tennis fans why she’s one of the biggest names in the game. The 44-year-old American made a triumphant return to professional tennis at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London on Tuesday, almost four years after her last competitive match. Playing doubles with 19-year-old Canadian star Victoria Mboko, Williams helped defeat third-seeded Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Erin Routliff of New Zealand 7-6(2), 6-2 in the opening round. The comeback has been one of the biggest talking points in tennis since Williams accepted a wildcard for the grass-court event. Fans packed the stands of Queen’s Club to watch their first match. Although there were questions about how she would handle after such a long break, Williams settled in immediately and showed the power, mobility and confidence that have made her a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion. After a tough opening set, she and Mboko together took control of the match and advanced to the next round.

The partnership between Serena Williams and Victoria Mboko was one of the most interesting stories of the tournament. One of the fastest-rising young players in women’s tennis, Mboko played well with the former world No. 1. The pair remained calm during the first set before taking command of the match in the second set.After the win, Williams said she felt good being back on the court and playing with Mboko. Speaking during his on-court interview he said, “It was so much fun, it felt so natural playing with Vicky.” Smiling he further said, “I guess I’ve got nothing better to do, I’m tired of sitting at home.” Reuters reported that the American players looked comfortable throughout the match and showed little signs of rust despite their long absence from the competition. The win also sent Williams and Mboko into the quarterfinals and fans will be hoping for more performances during the grass-court season. Williams is also expected to play in Berlin later this month as she continues her return to the sport.