Venus and Serena Williams' highly anticipated US Open return ends in heartbreaking loss
Williams Sisters Return to US Open Courts, Edge Past Chan/Joint in 3‑Set Thriller
The legendary sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium Friday night for the first time together at the U.S. Open in four years. The duo, who had been slated to reunite at Wimbledon earlier that summer, had to cancel the Wimbledon outing after Serena, 44, withdrew due to a lingering knee injury that had sidelined her for several seasons.
The pair were welcomed with a thunderous ovation as they made their entrance on the main stage. Their opponent in the second‑round doubles match was Taiwan’s Chan Hao‑ching, a seasoned veteran, and Australia’s Maya Joint, who was just 20 at the time of the match.
The Williamses dropped the opening set 6–3, with Chan and Joint pulling away after a competitive start. The second set saw both teams trade points until the tie‑break. In the break, Venus and Serena had multiple chances to seal the match, but the Taiwanese‑Australian pairing held their nerve to win the tie‑break 7–6(6). The Williams sisters kept fighting, however, and pushed the match into a third set.
The final set again went to a tie‑break. With momentum shifting back and forth, the Williamses finally prevailed in a 7–6(10) finish. The match, which lasted just over three hours, ended with a final score of 6–3, 6–7(6), 7–6(10) in favor of Venus and Serena.
Throughout the contest, the crowd remained heavily in support of the sisters, erupting after each point and showcasing the enduring admiration fans hold for the pair. Despite the physical demands of the match and Serena’s ongoing comeback, the sisters displayed the skill and resilience that have defined their careers.
The Williamses’ victory came on a jacket that listed Serena’s U.S. Open titles, including the doubles championships she and Venus claimed in 1999 and 2009. Their triumph at the 2024 U.S. Open adds another chapter to a legacy that spans three decades and solidifies their status as one of the most formidable doubles teams in tennis history.