Williams' Queen's opponents revealed as Raducanu and Boulter team up
Serena Williams and partner Victoria Mboko will face Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round at the HSBC Championships at Queen's next week in the 23-time Grand Slam winner's tennis return.Tennis legend Williams makes her return to the professional game in London at the age of 44, and her opening assignment is a match against the third-seeded pair alongside teenage partner Mboko.
Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter, the British singles Nos 1 and 3 respectively, will again partner for the doubles. They have been drawn to play fourth seeds Storm Hunter and Shuai Zhang in the first round.But even with Raducanu returning, no doubt the top billing will go to Williams, who can add 16 career doubles Grand Slams to her 23 singles titles - 14 of those with older sister Venus.By partnering with Mboko, who is currently No 9 in the world in singles, at just 19 years old, Williams is teaming up with one of the most exciting rising stars in women's tennis.
"I'm very happy. Me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice, because I really look up to her," Mboko said at the French Open.
"I think, for me, I want to let the moment be for her. I feel like if she's ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it's up to her to announce that."
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