US Open: Serena and Venus Williams knocked out in dramatic first-round doubles battle

Serena and Venus Williams’ much-anticipated US Open return ended in heartbreak as the American sisters suffered a dramatic first-round defeat against Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan on Saturday.

The 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions were beaten 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-10 by the 14th seeds in a three-hour, two-minute thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Williams sisters looked set for an early exit after Joint and Chan surged 4-1 ahead in the deciding set. But Serena and Venus mounted a spirited comeback, breaking serve in the seventh game before holding to make it 4-4.

Neither side could find another breakthrough, sending the match into a 10-point deciding tiebreak.

Serena and Venus again appeared to have seized control, racing into a 5-0 lead. However, Joint and Chan refused to fold. The Australian-Taiwanese combination capitalised on errors and double faults from the Americans to claw their way back.

The 14th seeds eventually completed a remarkable turnaround, winning the match tiebreak 10-7 and ending the sisters’ Grand Slam comeback.

Williams sisters produce vintage fightback

Joint and Chan controlled the opening set, taking it 6-3, but Serena and Venus gradually raised their level.

The Americans forced a second-set tiebreak and held their nerve in a tense battle to win 8-6, drawing a huge response from the Arthur Ashe crowd.

Serena, who recently returned to competitive tennis, showed glimpses of her trademark aggression at the net, while Venus continued to provide the experience and composure that have defined their partnership for decades.

The sisters then found themselves in trouble again in the decider before launching another comeback. However, they could not deliver the final blow when it mattered most.

End of another memorable reunion

The defeat brought an end to the Williams sisters’ first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since 2022. Serena and Venus had received a wildcard from the US Open to reunite at Flushing Meadows, where they have enjoyed some of the biggest moments of their extraordinary careers.

Together, they have captured 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, including US Open championships in 1999 and 2009, as well as four Olympic gold medals. Their return had already attracted huge attention at the Cincinnati Open earlier this year, where they reunited for the first time in four years but also exited in the opening round.

At the US Open, they went much closer to extending their campaign. After losing the first set, the sisters levelled the match and then fought back from 1-4 down in the decider.

But after surrendering a 5-0 advantage in the match tiebreak, Serena and Venus were ultimately denied a fairytale finish by Joint and Chan.