Serena Williams is set to continue her comeback at the Berlin Open, although she won’t be playing alongside Coco Gauff as was originally rumoured.
Williams made her return to competitive tennis at Queen’s earlier this week, partnering with Victoria Mboko in the doubles draw.
The pair won their opening match before an injury to Mboko forced them to withdraw from the tournament. Despite only being back for a short time, Williams had already been considering her next steps.
There were initial reports that Williams wanted to team up with Gauff in Berlin. However, both players have chosen different partners for the event, opting not to link up in the German capital.
Serena Williams and Coco Gauff split up for the Berlin Open doubles
Serena Williams is set to pair up with Karolina Muchova for the Berlin Open, marking her second appearance since rejoining the WTA Tour.
The duo will open their campaign against Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos. It’s a familiar matchup for Williams, who recently faced Routliffe while partnering with Victoria Mboko at Queen’s.
Coco Gauff, meanwhile, will team up with Jessica Pegula, reuniting a partnership that previously produced five WTA titles but hasn’t played together since the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Gauff and Pegula will take on Anastasia Potapova and Diana Shnaider in their opening match. While Williams and Gauff aren’t playing together this time, there’s still a chance they could meet later in the tournament if both teams make it to the semi-finals.
Who is Coco Gauff facing in the Berlin Open singles draw?
While Gauff is entered in doubles, her main focus remains on the singles side of the Berlin Open.
Gauff had a relatively disappointing Roland Garros this year, and she will now be hoping to return to form for the grass court season.
This year’s grass swing presents a chance for her to climb back up. She hasn’t picked up a win on the surface in 2025, so there’s plenty of ground to make up.
Amanda Anisimova pulled out of the event, bumping Gauff into a higher seeding and giving her a bye into round two. There, she could face former world number two Paula Badosa.
Elena Rybakina and Linda Noskova are also in her half of the draw, while Aryna Sabalenka could be her opponent if she reaches the final.
Gauff lost early to Xinyu Wang last year and is only defending one point from that appearance. With so little at stake from 2024, there’s room for Gauff to build momentum heading into Wimbledon later this summer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
