US tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together since the 2022 US Open, but their long-awaited reunion ended in a narrow defeat as they lost 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns at the Cincinnati Open on Tuesday.
The sisters came close to pulling off a remarkable comeback after falling 6-0 behind in the match tiebreak before fighting their way back. However, Venus' double fault brought the contest to a close.
It also marked their first doubles appearance at a non-Grand Slam event since the 2016 Italian Open.
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“I thought it was fun,” Serena said. “I thought it was special. We kicked off a little rust in the middle of the match and just, you know, (were) starting to feel it. I didn't come out here to win this tournament. Winning is obviously great. But in this position, just, you know, having fun. It was really cool to be able to do this again.”
A Long-Awaited Reunion On Court
Serena had been away from the tour since 2022 before returning to competitive tennis this summer at the age of 44. The sisters had originally planned to team up at Wimbledon but were forced to withdraw after Serena injured her knee during her singles loss.
Cincinnati marked their return as a pair, with the sisters entering the tournament on a wildcard.
“Eventually we would find our way to each other,” the 46-year-old Venus said about the decision to play doubles again. “It's our first time playing together in forever. It was great for us to get out there and do it.”
Their opponents, 24-year-old Kostyuk and Stearns, were also playing their first tournament together. Kostyuk is from Ukraine, while Stearns grew up in Mason, a suburb of Cincinnati where the tournament is held each year.
A Tiebreak That Almost Got Away
The Williams sisters dropped the opening set but found their rhythm in the second, winning it comfortably to force a match tiebreak.
Kostyuk and Stearns raced into a commanding 6-0 lead, but consecutive double faults from Kostyuk gave the Williams sisters a way back into the contest. Serena and Venus clawed their way back before the match eventually ended in a 10-8 defeat.
A Legacy Built Over Two Decades
Even in defeat, the match served as a reminder of the Williams sisters' storied partnership. Venus and Serena have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together and 22 doubles titles overall.
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Serena's only doubles title without Venus came in 2002 in Leipzig, Germany, when she partnered Alexandra Stevenson, while Venus has won all of her doubles titles alongside her sister.
The pair has also won three Olympic gold medals together. In singles, Serena won 23 Grand Slam titles, while Venus claimed seven.
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