The comeback dream of Serena Williams was handed a fatal blow with teenaged partner Victoria Mboko pulling up lame after a fall in singles which forced her retirement.

The Canadian went down with a knee injury, which rules her out as the Wimbledon run-up tightens. 

The doubles flop left the 44-year-old out of commission this week in a rain-hit Queen’s club.

The veteran who played her previous last Tour match in 2022, is now only able to look forward to another doubles go next week in Berlin, reportedly alongside Czech Karolina Muchova..

Williams was “retired” during the period in which the London club venue was added to the WTA calendar, 

She and Mboko won their opening doubles match on Tuesday but were unable to progress further due to the circumstances.

 The Williams pairing was to have played Canadian Leylah Fernandez and German Laura Siegemund in the second round with the Canadian/German team reaching the semi-finals, 

Mother of two Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, has hinted all week that she is not considering a run in singles.

“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” she said.

“I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”

Wimbledon doubles also remains a question mark: “It’s just a day at a time. I still have a little time to decide, and they have been great about giving me that space and time to ⁠decide.”

Main photo:- Serena Williams in action in the first round at Queens – by Mark Greenwood/ISF Ltd

A disheartening French Open defeat has left Emma Raducanu’s dream of a Wimbledon seeding a mirage.

The Briton who has barely played through injury and illness over the last few seasons, crashed out in a dismal showing, losing 6-0, 7-6 (4) to Solana Sierra of Argentina.

The Day 1 defeat dropped her ranking to 39th, out of range for one of the 32 seeded spots when play begins in a month.

The former US Open winner is apparently ready to get straight onto the grass, with the BBC reporting that she has signed up for pre-Wimbledon WTA tournaments in Berlin and Eastbourne after Queen’s Club and prior to the Grand Slam.

Former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova began finding grass-court form at precisely the right moment on Saturday as the Czech knocked world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka out in the semi-finals of the WTA Berlin event.

No. 164 Vondrousova, who triumphed at the All England club two years ago, has been on and off the Tour due to shoulder injuries over the past two seasons.

But she showed her potential in the 6-2, 6-4 defeat of the top seed, who also lost the Roland Garros final to Coco Gauff before stepping onto the grass.

The winner moved through to her first final since Wimbledon, 2023, in less than 90 minutes.

The Czech earned her first career defeat of a world No. 1 after losing her first three against the game’s elite. 

“I didn’t play for a long time,” Vondrousova said.”I’m just happy to be back healthy, and so grateful to play these matches.

“When I saw the field here, I was like, ‘OK, let’s just try to win the first round,’ and then, you know, now this is happening.”

Main photo:-Marketa Vondrousova was the first unseeded player to win Ladies Singles Title at Wimbledon, 2023 – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd