Williams sisters fall in thrilling return to US Open doubles

Serena and Venus Williams delivered a thrilling performance at the US Open women's doubles tournament, only to fall short against Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint. The 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions, known for their historic two US Open titles, showcased flashes of their past brilliance, with Serena particularly dominating in the net.

However, they faltered in the third set, ultimately losing 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (10-7). Despite their loss, the sisters displayed remarkable resilience, rallying from a break down in the third set and leading the deciding tiebreaker 5-0. Both Venus, 46, and Serena, 44, had not played Grand Slam doubles since the 2022 US Open. After overcoming a loss in the first set, the Williams sisters held their ground, serving consistently and even outplaying Joint with 20 winners in that set alone.

However, Joint and Chan fought back brilliantly to secure the victory. For Serena, it marked her first return to Flushing Meadows since her Wimbledon triumph four years ago, following her retirement from major singles play. Her experience at Wimbledon, where she narrowly lost to Joint in a Center Court match, apparently did not adequately prepare Chan for the electrifying atmosphere at the cavernous Ashe Stadium.

The sisters were met with a deafening ovation upon their return, clad in understated white outfits, as they delivered a performance that left the crowd in awe. Joint expressed her admiration for playing against such tennis legends, calling it "super special."