Serena Williams is set to send shockwaves through tennis as the icon returns to competitive action in women’s doubles at the HSBC Championships later this month. The 44-year-old will team up with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, but growing speculation continues to swirl around a possible singles comeback. As the speculation gathers momentum, former coach Patrick Mouratoglou has offered a fascinating glimpse into what Serena is truly hoping to achieve on the court.

“If Serena Williams decides to come back on court, she’s not coming back to be average. That’s not her,” Mouratoglou said in his latest Instagram reel. The Frenchmen even pointed out why Serena is beginning with doubles rather than singles.

“First of all, she starts with doubles. She didn’t say she would play singles. I feel that she wants to test herself. It’s a feeling that I have. I think she wants to know where she stands. I guess she needs to feel herself on the court to maybe take a decision to go further or not,” he added.

The mother of two girls has not competed since her final appearance at the US Open back in 2022. Since then, questions about whether she would ever return to professional tennis have remained a major talking point since she never officially retired.

Rumors surrounding a comeback began gathering momentum earlier this year in February. That was when the icon became eligible to compete again on February 22 after spending 6 months in the anti-doping testing pool.

However, for the 55-year-old coach, Mouratoglou remains optimistic. He believes Williams has built her career on achieving things that many considered impossible. “Does it make sense at 44 to go back on tour after not competing for four or five years with two kids? No, it doesn’t make sense. But… that’s Serena,” he added.

Mouratoglou then expanded on why he refuses to underestimate her. “Serena did things that were impossible because she thinks, ‘I can do it’. I’m not saying she’s going to be number one in the world and win all the Grand Slams. I’m saying: nothing is impossible for Serena.”

As Serena prepares for her return, she appears to have made a smart choice regarding her doubles partner. After being away from competition for nearly four years, having a strong teammate beside her could prove extremely valuable.

That is why she decided to partner with 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. The Canadian ace is currently ranked 9th in the WTA rankings and already owns two career titles. Despite being only limited time in the tour, Mboko has already shown she can compete against elite opponents, while her youth, speed, and energy could perfectly complement Williams’ experience and power. 

And while Mboko is now set to share the court with Serena from June 8th, reports suggest she was not the only player whom the American legend approached regarding a double’s partnership.

Katerina Siniakova reveals Serena Williams approached her for doubles partnership

When it comes to grass-court doubles, few teams in tennis history can match the achievements of the Williams sisters. Both the WTA legends built an extraordinary legacy together at Wimbledon.

They captured 6 women’s doubles titles at the SW19 during their careers. Even more impressively, they never lost a Grass court doubles final, finishing with a perfect 6-0 record at Wimbledon.

Because of that success, many fans hoped a reunion could be possible. The idea gained even more attention recently following developments involving Venus Williams.

Venus had been scheduled to compete in the Roland Garros doubles event. However, she later withdrew after her partner suffered an injury. Instead, Serena decided to move forward with Victoria Mboko as her partner. Yet the Canadian was not the only player Serena contacted regarding a potential doubles partnership.

Kateřina Siniakova, who recently reached the Roland Garros doubles SF for the 7th time in her career, revealed that Serena had also approached her. “I can boast that I had the honour to receive a message from her,” Katerina Siniakova shared. Unfortunately for both players, their schedules did not align. 

“Unfortunately, the week when she returns, I don’t play. It was very difficult for me to decide whether to play with such a legend or relax a bit. I think it’s great for tennis that she’s back. We’ll see what form she’s in, but seeing her back is wow,” Siniakova added.

The Czech star admitted that turning down such an opportunity was not easy. However, she clearly appreciated the chance to potentially share a court with one of the sport’s greatest champions.

“If it works out another time, I’ll be very happy. It would be an honor to play with her. I was terribly sorry that it worked out like this, but it couldn’t be combined. I’m then in the qualification in Berlin,” she explained.

Now, with Serena preparing for her long-awaited return alongside Mboko, excitement continues to build across the tennis world. And after her former coach suggested that Serena is not returning simply to participate but to compete at the highest level, fans everywhere will be watching closely to see whether the 44-year-old can once again make her presence felt on the biggest stages of the sport.