Serena's comeback at Queen's over after Mboko injury withdrawal
Serena Williams' bid to win the Queen's Club doubles title on her return to tennis came to a premature end on Thursday after the American legend's partner Victoria Mboko was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Williams sensationally returned to action on Tuesday for the first time in four years, partnering with Mboko for a straight sets victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round.
The pair were due to play Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals of the grass-court event in west London on Thursday.
But Mboko pulled out just hours before the last eight clash after failing to recover from a left knee injury suffered in the second set of her singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.
World number nine Mboko was unable to finish that match and the Canadian teenager opted not to risk aggravating the injury by playing in the doubles with Williams.
Tournament organisers confirmed Mboko's withdrawal from the doubles, leaving Williams to wait to continue her comeback in the Berlin Open doubles next week.
E.Scozzafava--INP