Serena Williams stumbled in her return to competition on Tuesday. The tennis legend, 44, fell in the first round of doubles at the Berlin Open alongside Karolina Muchova. The duo of Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe beat them 6-4, 6-4 in the WTA 500 tournament on grass.
The result, however, did not dampen the public’s affection. The center field of the Steffi Graf Stadion quickly filled up and fans chanted his name. “Welcome back, Serena!” one follower shouted. “Serena, we love you in Berlin!” was heard in the second set. Williams responded with flashes of his grit: powerful returns and some winners.
This was her second appearance following the victory at Queen’s Club last week, her first professional match since the 2022 US Open. In London, her partner Victoria Mboko injured her knee, interrupting participation.
Wild card for Wimbledon
Hours before the match, Wimbledon organizers announced that Serena and her sister Venus, who turns 46 on Wednesday, received an invitation to the doubles tournament. Serena has 23 Grand Slam titles in singles and 14 in doubles—six of them at Wimbledon with Venus.
“Honestly, I felt pretty good out there,” Williams said at a news conference. “More agile and firmer than at Queen’s. I feel good physically, and quickness is key on grass.”
Regarding a possible return to singles, there is still no decision. When a reporter mentioned that there is still a wild card available, Williams joked: “Do you think I’m ready for singles?” and asked Muchova’s opinion before reflecting: “That’s the question of the moment. I don’t know.”
