Serena Williams' doubles campaign at Queen's Club ended abruptly when partner Victoria Mboko suffered a knee injury, forcing their withdrawal before the second round. Mboko left the court in tears during her singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday, trailing 6-2 3-4, casting doubt over her Wimbledon participation.

The American-Canadian duo had advanced impressively in Williams' first tournament since the 2022 US Open, defeating third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 in their opening match. Their withdrawal means they won't face Canadian Layla Fernandez and Germany's Laura Siegemund as scheduled.

Williams quickly shifted focus to her next competitive appearance, adding the Berlin Tennis Open to her grass-court schedule starting June 15. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion expressed excitement about competing in Germany and building momentum for the season.

This setback delays Williams' return to competitive tennis, though her addition to Berlin suggests she remains committed to a full grass-court campaign despite partner complications.