Serena Williams Loses in Berlin as She Prepares for Wimbledon Comeback

Serena Williams lost in straight sets at the Berlin Open doubles on Tuesday, just hours after her return to Wimbledon was confirmed. Williams and Czech partner Karolina Muchova were defeated by Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe, 6‑4, 6‑4.

The pair fell behind after Williams was broken in her second service game of the first set. They were broken again on Muchova’s serve midway through the second set and were unable to regain momentum.

“I felt pretty good out there. I felt actually more nimble and more sturdy and quicker than the first match in Queens,” Williams said after the match. “I felt overall pretty good, just physically and quickness. I think you need a lot of quickness on grass.”

The match was Williams’ second after her surprise comeback announcement earlier in June. She won her first match back at Queen’s Club last Monday, but the tournament ended when her doubles partner Victoria Mboko sustained an injury.

When asked why she partnered with Muchova, Williams laughed and said, “Czech players have given me nothing but trouble throughout my whole career. So if you can’t beat them, join them.”

The 23‑time Grand Slam singles champion had stepped away from tennis in 2022 but announced a return in June, saying she wanted to play in front of her two young daughters. While she showed flashes of the powerful game that had dominated women’s tennis for two decades, she lacked rhythm early on after nearly four years away. Her footwork and powerful serve and forehand improved as the match progressed.

With one singles wildcard slot remaining for Wimbledon, which begins on June 29, Williams dismissed speculation that she might also return in singles. “You think I’m ready for singles?” she asked reporters. “I need to get to work.”

Her last Grand Slam title came at the 2017 Australian Open, and she last won Wimbledon in 2016. The Williams sisters have claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.

The post Serena Williams defeated in Berlin ahead of Wimbledon return appeared first on Vanguard News.