Serena and Venus Williams were handed a heartbreaking loss in the opening round of the US Open women's doubles, falling to the young pairing of Maya Joint and Chan Hao‑Ching after a marathon three‑hour, two‑minute battle. The match unfolded as a dramatic seesaw contest, with the Williams sisters clawing back to force a third‑set tiebreak after surrendering the first set 6‑3.
In the second set they pushed the score to 6‑6, eventually winning the tiebreak 8‑6, only to see the momentum slip away once more in the decisive set, where they led 5‑0 before a cascade of errors allowed Joint and Chan to capture the final tiebreak 10‑7. This encounter marked the first Grand Slam tournament the sisters entered as a team since their joint campaign at the 2022 US Open, and it arrived 27 years after they first lifted the same trophy together. Their partnership is one of the most decorated in tennis history, boasting 14 major doubles titles, two US Open crowns, three Olympic gold medals and a combined total of more than 30 Grand Slam singles championships.
Despite the weight of that legacy, the Williams duo could not convert their experience into a win on the night. For Maya Joint, the victory was a personal milestone. The 20‑year‑old Australian had already etched her name into the tournament’s narrative by defeating Serena on Centre Court earlier in the week during the Wimbledon singles draw.
Facing the sisters in front of a roaring crowd of roughly 23,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Joint said she was "lost for words" to be playing against her idols. Growing up in Michigan, she had watched the Williams sisters dominate the sport, and the chance to meet them twice in a single Grand Slam felt "super special" to her.
The atmosphere in the stadium reflected the historic nature of the match. Both Serena, now 44, and Venus, 46, entered the draw on wild‑card entries, a nod to their enduring popularity and the tournament’s desire to showcase their legendary status. Their presence alone prompted cheers that rose to the rafters each time they won a point, underscoring the affection fans still hold for the pair.
While the loss was disappointing, it may not signal the end of Serena’s competitive ambitions. ESPN analyst Caroline Wozniacki hinted that Serena could be contemplating a return to singles competition next season, a prospect that would add another chapter to an already storied career. Even at a combined age of 90, the sisters displayed flashes of their former dominance, especially when Venus executed a sharp volley that Serena answered with a powerful winner, prompting the crowd to erupt. Nevertheless, critical moments slipped away.
Two early breaks of Serena’s serve in the first set—serves that had looked sharp during her Wimbledon run and her recent mixed‑doubles success with Carlos Alcaraz—gave Joint and Chan the opening set. The Williams sisters rallied in the second set, salvaging a tiebreak by capitalising on a mis‑hit overhead from Joint that floated long, and they carried that momentum into a third set that, for the first time since 2001, extended beyond a 5‑5 deadlock. In the final minutes, however, the sisters faltered. A series of unforced errors and a decisive volley from Chan at 5‑0 on the third‑set tiebreak sealed the outcome, ending what had been a promising comeback.
The United States Tennis Association confirmed that the Williams sisters would not be available for comment after the match. The day’s action continued with other notable results. Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas recovered from a 2‑6 first‑set loss to defeat Czech 18th seed Jiří Lehečka 2‑6, 6‑1, 7‑6 (7‑3), 6‑1, advancing to the fourth round for the first time in his career. American 11th seed Frances Tiafoe dispatched Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot in straight sets, 6‑4, 6‑2, 6‑4.
Later, Ben Shelton, a 2023 US Open semifinalist, earned a showdown with Tsitsipas after overcoming Denis Shapovalov in a four‑set quarterfinal. Shelton, despite a high number of unforced errors, secured a 7‑6 (3), 6‑7 (5), 6‑3, 6‑4 victory in a 3‑hour‑23‑minute marathon, even unleashing a 147 mph serve at one point. The 23‑year‑old now awaits his match against the Greek on Sunday.
The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will be shown live on Sky Sports as well.