Serena and Venus Williams beaten in thriller on return to doubles action
The pair were pipped by Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in their first match together for four years
Serena and Venus Williams, the renowned tennis sisters, faced a hard-fought loss in their first doubles match together in four years at the Cincinnati Open. The sisters, who had initially planned to compete at Wimbledon, had to postpone their return due to Serena's injury during her singles match against Maya Joint. As wildcards into the Cincinnati event, the experienced pair overcame Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk, ultimately falling short 2-6, 6-1, 10-8.
The decisive moment came when Venus made a double fault while attempting to save match point, following a brief lapse in performance mid-match. Serena expressed her enjoyment, stating that the return felt special and allowed them to kick off the rust. She also emphasized not coming out to win the tournament but rather to have fun.
Venus, 46, echoed her sister's sentiments, highlighting the bond they share and the progress they are making in their return to doubles play. The sisters last played together at the 2022 US Open, marking the end of Serena's last tournament before she seemingly retired. Serena made a surprising comeback to Wimbledon in July but suffered a knee injury that hindered her comeback.
With a combined 30 grand slam singles titles, the duo will need wildcards to compete in singles or doubles at the US Open, set to begin on Sunday, 30 August.
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