Serena and Venus Williams experienced a painful defeat at the 2024 US Open, falling to the young pairing of Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching in the opening round of the women's doubles competition. The match turned into a marathon battle that stretched beyond three hours, with the sisters pushing their opponents to the brink before ultimately succumbing in a nail‑biting third‑set tiebreak.
After taking the first set 6-3, the Williams duo found themselves locked in a 6-6 deadlock in the second set, where they managed to edge out a 8-6 tiebreak to force a deciding set. The final set also went to a tiebreak, but the momentum had shifted; Joint and Chan sealed the win 7-6 (10-7), ending a night that lasted three hours and two minutes. This encounter marked the first Grand Slam partnership for Serena and Venus since they last teamed up at the 2022 US Open, a tournament they famously won together 27 years earlier.
The match carried the weight of a storied history: the sisters have captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, two US Open crowns, three Olympic gold medals, and an additional 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them. Serena, who is 44, and Venus, now 46, entered the court with the knowledge that they were playing not just for a win but for a legacy that spans more than two decades. The victory, however, was a breakthrough moment for 20‑year‑old Australian Maya Joint. Earlier in the tournament, Joint had stunned Serena on Centre Court at Wimbledon, and she now faced the legendary sister duo in front of a roaring crowd of roughly 23,000 spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After the match, Joint expressed her awe at the experience, saying, "Playing against such legends of the game is super special. I'm lost for words.
They're my idols; I grew up watching them in Michigan, and to meet them twice on such a big stage is amazing." Both Williams sisters received wild‑card entries for the tournament, a nod to their enduring popularity and the draw they bring to the event. Their presence turned the arena into a celebratory arena, with each point they won prompting cheers that echoed to the rafters. Despite their combined age of 90 years, the sisters displayed flashes of their former dominance. At one moment, Venus unleashed a sharp volley that Serena followed with a powerful winner, prompting the crowd to stand in unison.
Nevertheless, two crucial service breaks against Serena in the opening set proved decisive. Serena's serve, which had looked formidable during Wimbledon and in her recent mixed‑doubles performance with Carlos Alcaraz, was broken twice, allowing Joint and Chan to capture the first set.
The Williams sisters rallied in the second set, clawing back to win a tense tiebreak after a crucial overhead from Joint drifted long, giving them a vital set point. The third set was historic in its own right. It marked the first time the Williams sisters had reached a 5‑5 scoreline in a third set since 2001, underscoring how rare such deep contests have become for the aging duo.
Yet, as the match approached its climax, the sisters faltered. A well‑placed volley from Chan at a critical juncture sealed the tiebreak and the match, ending what had been a valiant comeback attempt.
Following the loss, the United States Tennis Association confirmed that the sisters would not be available for comment. Meanwhile, other storylines unfolded across the tournament.
Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas rebounded from a first‑set loss to defeat Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka 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. In the men's draw, 2023 US Open semi‑finalist Ben Shelton set up a high‑profile clash with Tsitsipas after overcoming Denis Shapovalov in a four‑set battle.
Shelton, despite committing several unforced errors, secured a 7‑6 (3), 6‑7 (5), 6‑3, 6‑4 victory over Shapovalov in a match lasting three hours and 23 minutes, even unleashing a 147‑mph serve at one point. The 23‑year‑old American will meet Tsitsipas on Sunday.
Fans can follow the ongoing action live on Sky Sports beginning August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports App. For those interested in attending in person, the Laver Cup will be staged at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also broadcast on Sky Sports. The Williams sisters' defeat may signal the end of an era, but their influence on tennis remains indelible, and the tournament continues to deliver thrilling narratives across both the men's and women's draws.