Serena and Venus Williams thrilled fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium but lost to Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint in a tight match during their return to the US Open women’s doubles on Friday.
The famous sisters, who have 14 Grand Slam doubles titles including two US Open wins, fought back from a break down in the third set. They even led the deciding 10-point tiebreaker 5-0 but eventually lost 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/7).
Venus, 46, and Serena, 44, had not played Grand Slam doubles since the 2022 US Open. Their last title together was at Roland Garros in 2018.
They showed signs of their old magic, with Serena looking especially strong at the net, though her serve was not at its best. After losing the first set, they came back to win the second-set tiebreaker.
They hit at least 20 winners in that set, holding serve the whole time. The crowd roared when Joint hit an overhead long, leveling the match for the sisters.
Chan and Joint quickly took a 4-2 lead in the third set. The Williams sisters tried to come back, but Chan and Joint fought hard to win the match.
For Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and often seen as the best female player ever, this marked her return to Flushing Meadows since her last match there.
The 44-year-old had played singles at Wimbledon as a wild card after taking a break from the sport. At Wimbledon, she lost to Joint in a match that caught the attention of both serious and casual tennis fans.
Even that match didn’t prepare Joint for the energy in the large Ashe Stadium. The sisters received a huge welcome when they entered the court, dressed in simple white outfits.
Every powerful volley and smash from them got loud cheers, and when they took the lead in the tiebreaker, the crowd noise was incredible.
“The atmosphere was surreal,” Joint said. “Being able to play against such legends of the game is super special.”
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