Serena Williams' doubles campaign at the Queen's Club Championships ended abruptly when partner Victoria Mboko withdrew with a left knee injury. The 23-time Grand Slam champion had made her competitive return after nearly four years, but their quarter-final match was cancelled following Mboko's fall during Wednesday's singles action.

Mboko, 19, suffered the injury while trailing Karolina Pliskova 6-2 3-4, collapsing in pain and limping off court in tears. The Canadian teenager's retirement from singles forced the doubles withdrawal, sending their scheduled opponents Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund directly into the semi-finals.

Williams showed strong form in her comeback match, pairing with Mboko to defeat third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 7-6(2) 6-2 on Tuesday. Playing 1,375 days after her last competitive appearance, the former world No. 1 displayed her signature power serving and groundstrokes without missing a beat.

The early exit denies Williams additional match play ahead of potential Wimbledon participation, while Mboko faces an uncertain recovery timeline that could impact her summer schedule. Williams proved she can still compete at the elite level, but fans saw limited action before circumstances intervened.