Williams Sisters Fall in Thrilling US Open Doubles Return
The Story
Serena and Venus Williams lost their U.S. Open women’s doubles match on Friday night, falling to Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in three sets. The match, played at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, concluded with a score of 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (10-7) after three hours and two minutes. This marked the sisters' first U.S. Open doubles appearance since 2022 and their return to Grand Slam doubles play after four years. The Williams sisters rallied from a break down in the third set and overcame a 4-1 deficit to tie the set. They then took a 5-0 lead in the deciding 10-point match tiebreaker before their opponents fought back to clinch the victory. Both sisters double-faulted during the tiebreaker. Serena Williams had returned to tennis this year, having previously lost to Maya Joint in singles at Wimbledon and then withdrawing from a doubles match due to a knee injury. The match drew a full stadium of 23,000 fans, including defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz. Maya Joint described the atmosphere as super special. The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including two U.S. Open titles in 1999 and 2009, and hold an overall U.S. Open doubles record of 27-8 in 10 appearances. They also won Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2008, and 2012, and shared the No. 1 ranking in women’s doubles for eight weeks. The U.S. Tennis Association stated the sisters would not be available for comment after the match.
The Spread
What they agree on
- Serena and Venus Williams lost their U.S. Open women's doubles match on Friday night.
- The Williams sisters were defeated by the team of Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint.
- The match was played in three sets, concluding with a match tiebreaker.
- This marked the Williams sisters' return to U.S. Open doubles after a four-year absence.
- The match took place at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.
Where they split
- Some sources, such as ThisDay, describe the defeat as "agonising," while others, like Houston Chronicle and Jamaica Observer, frame it as a "thrilling return" despite the loss.
- The specific date of the match is sometimes referred to as "Friday night" (Courthouse News Service, CBS News) or "September 4, 2026" (The Citizen), while others simply state "Friday" (Cyprus Mail).
- Some outlets, like Courthouse News Service, mention Serena Williams' prior loss to Maya Joint at Wimbledon and a knee injury, while others focus solely on the U.S. Open match.
- GB News and The Sunday Guardian specifically mention the Williams sisters skipping the press conference after the match, a detail not highlighted in all other reports.