“It’s up to her to announce that”: Victoria Mboko addresses Serena Williams doubles speculation ahead of Queen’s

Victoria Mboko has addressed speculation surrounding a potential return to competition for Serena Williams, after reports suggested the 44-year-old American could receive a wildcard to play doubles with the Canadian teenager during the grass-court swing.

The discussion emerged during Mboko’s Roland-Garros media duties on Thursday, as attention briefly shifted away from her third-round progress in Paris. The 19-year-old is continuing her breakout Grand Slam run, having reached the last 32 after two contrasting victories.

Mboko opened her campaign with a straight-sets win over Nikola Bartunkova before surviving a three-set battle against Katerina Siniakova, recovering from a set down to secure her place in the third round. She now faces 19th seed Madison Keys, whom she previously defeated earlier this season in Adelaide in three sets.

Despite her on-court momentum, much of the press conference focused on reports linking her with Williams for a potential doubles appearance at Queen’s Club, a key Wimbledon warm-up event.

Questions about a possible partnership with Williams dominated part of the media session, with reports suggesting the 23-time Grand Slam champion could seek a wildcard for Queen’s Club alongside Mboko. The teenager did not confirm any arrangement and emphasised that any decision rests entirely with Williams.

“I feel like it’s up to her to announce that,” Mboko said when asked about the reports. “Serena and I have stayed in touch, which is really nice because I really look up to her. The fact that she even knows me is very exciting.

“But I want to let the moment be for her. If she is ready to come back on her own terms, it is up to her to announce that. I do not really have much else to say. The moment is all up to her and when she is ready to come back.”

Reports earlier in the week indicated that Williams could request a wildcard for Queen’s Club, scheduled to begin on 8 June, marking an important transition into the grass-court season ahead of Wimbledon.

Mboko also reflected on her previous interactions with Williams, noting occasional contact and messages, while emphasising the significance of being on the radar of a long-time idol.

“We sometimes connect here and there,” she said. “She has texted me before. I cannot tell you the exact date, I do not remember. But it has been quite a long time. It is really cool that she follows results and knows who I am.”

Away from speculation, Mboko’s focus remains on her progress at Roland-Garros, where she has shown both resilience and adaptability across two demanding matches.

After a controlled opening win over Bartunkova, she was pushed into a physical and tactical battle by Siniakova, eventually recovering after losing the first set to close out the match in three. “I started the match pretty solid," Mboko said. "There were moments where I was a bit flat-footed and spraying a lot of errors, and I was not really feeling myself."

“But trying to stay in there as much as I could with her was important to me," the 19-year-old added. "Finding the right moments to come back and try to flip the score was key. I am really happy to get the win and move into the next round.”

Statistically, the match reflected an uneven contest of consistency, with both players combining for a high error count and relatively modest winner output, underlining the fragmented rhythm of the encounter.

“It happens to the best of us. Not every day I will have my best performance,” she added. “I am just happy I pulled through. What matters is having the opportunity to improve and be better in the next round. I am happy I got through the tough moments in the match.”