Williams Sisters US Open Return Ends in Thrilling Loss

A stadium turns back the clock

A quarter-century after first meeting each other across the net in a US Open final, Serena and Venus Williams walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium together again, this time as doubles partners, and turned Friday night into something closer to a celebration than a first-round match. The Williams Sisters US Open Return didn’t end in victory, but it delivered exactly the kind of drama their names have long promised.

Quarter-century since their first meeting on this stage

Now 46 and 44, Serena and Venus have spent more than two decades at the top of professional tennis, and their return to Flushing Meadows carried the weight of that history. A packed, vocal evening crowd turned out specifically to see them, with fan signs and a rare prime-time doubles slot on Arthur Ashe underscoring just how significant their reunion felt, even in a first-round match

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How the match unfolded?

The Williams Sisters US Open Return saw them face Hao-Ching Chan of Taiwan and Maya Joint of Australia, opponents whose combined age is roughly half that of the sisters themselves. After dropping the first set 6-3, Serena and Venus fought back to force a second-set tiebreak, which they won 8-6 to level the match.

The deciding set swung back and forth, with both teams trading runs of three straight games before the match again came down to a tiebreak.

The tiebreak that got away

In the deciding tiebreak, the Williams sisters raced out to a commanding 5-0 lead, putting them agonizingly close to a statement win. But Chan and Joint responded by winning 10 of the next 12 points, completing a stunning turnaround to close out the match 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (10-7).

The three-hour, two-minute contest marked only the second time in a major doubles match that the Williams sisters have played a deciding-set tiebreak, the first coming at the 2009 French Open.

A reunion delayed by injury

This marked the sisters’ first major doubles appearance together since the 2022 US Open, when it appeared their partnership on the Grand Slam stage might have ended for good following Serena’s retirement that year.

Serena’s return to competitive tennis this summer included a three-set singles loss to Joint at Wimbledon, where a knee injury forced the sisters to withdraw from what was meant to be their doubles reunion, pushing that comeback back to New York instead.

Records and milestones from the match

Despite the loss, the match added to an already remarkable doubles résumé. The Williams sisters moved to 31-3 in first-round major doubles appearances as a pair and are now 27-8 across ten career appearances at the US Open specifically, a tournament where they’ve previously won the doubles title in 1999 and 2009.

Their broader doubles legacy includes 14 Grand Slam titles together and Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2008 and 2012, along with a combined eight weeks spent atop the women’s doubles world rankings.

Reactions from the tennis world

The significance of the Williams Sisters US Open Return wasn’t lost on other players. Maya Joint, one half of the winning team, called the atmosphere and the chance to play against two legends of the sport a uniquely special moment.

Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz also made a point of catching the match after his own win, saying there was no better plan than watching the Williams sisters take the court once again.

What comes next

Though their run in this year’s doubles draw has ended, Serena and Venus left the court smiling despite the defeat, a fitting note for a match that was always more about the moment than the result.

Chan and Joint, meanwhile, advance to face Nicole Fossa Huergo and Tamara Korpatsch in the second round on Sunday, carrying the momentum of their dramatic win forward into the rest of the tournament.

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Author: M Jyosri

A Junior Journalist passionate about reporting accurate, engaging, and reader-focused news across technology, business, education, health, entertainment, lifestyle, and current affairs. Dedicated to researching reliable sources, verifying information, and producing clear, factual content that follows ethical journalism standards.

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Did Serena and Venus Williams win their US Open doubles match?

No, they lost 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (10-7) to Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan, despite leading the final tiebreak 5-0.

When did Serena and Venus Williams last play doubles together at a major?

Their last major doubles appearance together before this was at the 2022 US Open, also a first-round loss.

Why did the Williams sisters miss their planned Wimbledon doubles reunion?

Serena withdrew after suffering a knee injury during her singles match against Maya Joint at Wimbledon this year.

How many Grand Slam doubles titles have Serena and Venus won together?

They’ve won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair, along with Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

What did other players say about the Williams sisters' return?

Maya Joint called it a special moment playing two legends, and Carlos Alcaraz said he made a point of watching their match after his own.