Serena Williams discovers opponents for tennis return in Queen's doubles as Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter team up

Serena Williams and partner Victoria Mboko will face Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round at the HSBC Championships at Queen's next week in the 23-time Grand Slam winner's tennis return.

Tennis legend Williams makes her return to the professional game in London at the age of 44, and her opening assignment is a match against the third-seeded pair alongside teenage partner Mboko.

• Raducanu and Boulter learn fate in Queen's draw
• Serena Williams adds Berlin Tennis Open to comeback schedule
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Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu will return to Queen's next week when she plays a qualifier having been placed in the opposite side of the draw to top seed Elena Rybakina.

The former US Open champion also features in the doubles tournament, where she partners with fellow Brit Katie Boulter. They face Storm Hunter and Shuai Zhang in the first round.

But even with Raducanu making her tournament bow, no doubt the top billing at the tournament will go to Williams, who can add 16 career doubles Grand Slams to the 23 singles titles - 14 of those with older sister Venus.

By partnering with Mboko, who is currently No 9 in the world at just 19 years old, Williams is teaming up with one of the most exciting rising stars in women's tennis.

"I'm very happy. Me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice, because I really look up to her," Mboko said at the French Open.

"I think, for me, I want to let the moment be for her. I feel like if she's ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it's up to her to announce that."

Queen's Club is where Serena will make her return, with the winner of the Demi Schuurs/Alexandra Panova vs Leylah Fernandez/Laura Siegemund match lying in wait should they progress to the second round.

Then, the following week, she is back in action again in the German capital at the Berlin Open.

"Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception," Williams said on the official tournament website.

"I'm excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season."

Williams in line for Wimbledon wild card?

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Some observers believe Williams has timed her comeback with Wimbledon in mind, and the first batch of wild cards for singles and doubles will be announced during the Berlin tournament.

Fellow American and former world No 1 Lindsay Davenport is delighted to see her back.

"I think it's great. So many stories sometimes in our sport go negative. And I love that there's an excitement about a player returning. It's going to be great to see her back out there.

"You have to think that she's going to ease her way back into singles. Then all of a sudden it's game on again for the Grand Slam race. So I'm here for it."

If she does so, then Williams is one title behind all-time women's record holder Margaret Court for Grand Slam singles titles and has previously mentioned her hunger to tie or perhaps even surpass the record.

"It's not going to be easy," added Davenport. "If anyone could do it, certainly it could be her. She looks in incredible shape, and better shape than arguably when she left the sport.

"Her mindset has always been to not settle for mediocrity. So I think we have to assume that she's coming back because she feels she's in a position where she can actually make an impact immediately in women's tennis."

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