World No. 9 Victoria Mboko retired in tears at Queen’s and threw the remainder of her doubles tournament with Serena Williams into jeopardy. The Canadian star suffered a horrific fall on the grass and immediately called for medical attention. She left Andy Murray Arena in tears in the second set against Karolina Pliskova.
Mboko dropped the first set 6-2 to her Czech opponent, but fought back into a 4-3 lead in the second, finding much better success against Pliskova’s serve. Pliskova was serving at deuce when Mboko attempted to change direction and fell to the floor in severe pain.
Mboko called for the physio and took a medical time-out, but did not play another point after the incident that ended her match, and potentially her tournament as a whole.
She said, while limping off the court, that she was scared to put pressure on her leg.
The 19-year-old was scheduled to play with Williams in doubles again on Thursday, having won their first-round match against third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
Mboko and Williams are on tomorrow’s order of play against Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund, but whether that match will take place remains to be seen.
Pliskova, who has suffered serious injuries of her own in her career, said on-court: “First of all, such a shame. I think we played quite a good game today and I think she was improving as the match was going (on). It would have been a nice match but I wish her only the best.
“Of course, this is not the way that we want to win. Hopefully she is going to be fine.”
Less than 24 hours earlier, the Canadian spoke of how proud she was to be chosen by Williams to play doubles together at Queen’s, on what was her partner’s first professional match in 1,376 days.
“Of course even knowing I could play with Serena with me, I’m so grateful, first of all,” Mboko said. “I don’t play that much doubles, but I think sharing the court, I think I can learn a lot, even though we’re still competing. I just, if anything, I just had so much fun today. I feel like we complemented each other on the court very well.
“I just really liked our attitude on court. We had the same mentality. That’s what I always look for in a partner. I just was enjoying myself.”