Serena Williams: Bad luck can lead to a historic opportunity

Victoria Mboko’s injury could lead to an unexpected turn of events ahead of Wimbledon. The Canadian tennis player, who had chosen Serena Williams as her doubles partner for her return to the court at Queen’s and was forced to withdraw before the quarterfinals, has announced that she will not be able to recover in time to take part in the third Grand Slam of the season, scheduled to begin on June 29.

Her absence, however, could pave the way for a wild card to be awarded to Serena Williams, now 44 and away from competition for some time. The former world No. 1 boasts an extraordinary record with 23 Grand Slam titles won in her career, seven of which were earned on the grass courts of Wimbledon. Thus, the misfortune of her premature exit—through no fault of her own—at Queen’s could give rise to a historic opportunity for “The Queen.”

Serena’s return to the courts had already generated significant buzz when, on June 1, her comeback at the Queen’s Club in the women’s doubles was officially announced. A return greeted with enthusiasm by the entire tennis world, as evidenced by the words of WTA President Valerie Camillo: “Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court. Her return is a testament to her passion for competition, and I can’t wait to see her take on a new generation of players.”

The excitement surrounding the American star’s return had also spread to the men’s tour. When asked about it, Carlos Alcaraz made no secret of his admiration: “Serena is the greatest female tennis player of all time. Everyone on the WTA Tour looks up to her. It would be great to see her back on the court, even just for the pleasure of watching her play. We shouldn’t underestimate what it means mentally to win so many Grand Slams: she’s been through all the challenges and knows exactly what it takes to win.”