Serena and Venus Williams made a highly anticipated return to the US Open, drawing significant attention to their first-round doubles match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The sisters, who previously won the tournament in 1999 and 2009, were defeated on Friday night by Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint with a final score of 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (10-7).
The match proved to be a dramatic contest, with the Williams sisters mounting a comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the third set to force a 10-point match tiebreaker. Despite building an early 5-0 lead in the tiebreaker, they were unable to maintain the momentum and ultimately faltered. Both sisters double-faulted during the closing moments of the tiebreaker, marking a disappointing end to their first Grand Slam appearance together since 2022.
Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz, who secured his own spot in the round of 16 by defeating Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, expressed his excitement for the match. “I think there is no better plan (than) to watch the doubles, the Williamses once again, while getting a treatment,” Alcaraz said, adding, “I’m going to be ready for that.” Alcaraz, returning after a four-month absence due to a wrist injury, is set to face No. 20 seed Tommy Paul, who advanced after a five-set victory over No. 15 Alexander Bublik.
Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, remain icons of the sport, having secured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals together. Their recent return to the court has been marked by challenges; Serena previously lost to Maya Joint at Wimbledon, and the sisters were forced to withdraw from that tournament due to a knee injury. They also suffered a similar defeat in a match tiebreaker at the Cincinnati Open earlier this summer.
The United States Tennis Association confirmed that the sisters would not be providing comments following the match. Venus Williams had also been eliminated in the first round of the singles competition earlier in the tournament.
Elsewhere in the draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her campaign by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka, who is aiming to become the first player to win three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams achieved the feat between 2012 and 2014, faced a rigorous second set that lasted 54 minutes. She is now scheduled to face Taylor Townsend in the round of 16.
Reflecting on his own performance, Alcaraz noted his satisfaction with his current form, stating, “To be honest I’m better than I thought.” The tournament continues to progress as the field narrows, with the Williams sisters now holding a 27-8 record across their 10 total appearances at the US Open. The report also notes that but then faltered late, they battled back from 4-1 down in the third set to tie it. The report also notes that venus has continued to play on tour at 46. The report also notes that could have been Serena’s long layoff, or maybe it was nerves, perhaps it was their ages. The report also notes that teaming to win 14 Grand Slam titles along with Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2008 and 2012, the sisters were once dominant in women’s doubles. The report also notes that 1 ranking in women’s doubles for eight weeks.
