Serena and Venus Williams fell in a three-hour first-round US Open women’s doubles thriller against Maya Joint and Hao-ching Chan, losing 6-3, 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (10-7) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match marked the legendary sister act’s first Grand Slam together since the 2022 US Open, bringing together a combined age of 90 years on court.
US Open First-Round Epic Sees Williams Sisters Fall to Joint and Chan
Playing together for the first time in a major tournament in four years, 44-year-old Serena Williams and 46-year-old Venus Williams received wild cards for the women’s doubles draw at Flushing Meadows. Facing 14th seeds Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching in front of 23,000 fans on Friday night, the 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions pushed the match to a decisive third set tie-breaker.
Despite building a 5-0 lead in the final tie-break, the Williams sisters stumbled as Joint and Chan staged a dramatic comeback, ultimately closing out the match 6-3, 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (10-7) in three hours and two minutes. The US Tennis Association stated that the sisters would not be available for comment following the defeat.
Contrast in Careers: From Singles Rematches to Doubles Showdowns
The loss added to a challenging statistical run for the pair. Throughout 2026, the Williams sisters have accumulated an aggregate of 4-24 across singles and doubles play, a tally that excludes the US Open mixed doubles competition. Agent Jill Smoller reported that Venus has dropped 15 successive matches following her comeback-opening victory against Stearns, whereas Serena’s return has experienced interruptions stemming from a knee problem picked up during her singles encounter against Joint.
For 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, the match represented another chapter in a memorable summer. Joint previously defeated Serena on Centre Court at Wimbledon in the women’s singles. “Being able to play against such legends of the game is super special,” Joint said on court. “I’m lost for words to think of it,” Joint continued. “She’s my idol, both of them. I grew up in Michigan so I always looked up to them.” Joint and Chan advance to face Nicole Fossa Huergo and Tamara Korpatsch in the second round.
Future Outlook and Singles Return Speculation
Questions remain regarding where either player goes from here, with neither having anything to prove after their legendary careers. ESPN commentator Caroline Wozniacki revealed she believes Serena wants to return to singles next year. Both athletes rely on tournament wild cards to enter draws.
The defeat also concludes a busy stretch for Serena, who participated in the mixed doubles event last week, winning and losing a match alongside Carlos Alcaraz. In other tournament developments noted by Sky Sports reports, Hellenic tennis standout Stefanos Tsitsipas overcame dropping the opening set 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 professional career, while American 11th seed Frances Tiafoe comfortably defeated Valentin Vacherot of Monaco with scores of 6-4 6-2 6-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Serena and Venus Williams play doubles together at the US Open?
Yes. Serena and Venus Williams accepted wild cards to compete in the women’s doubles draw at the US Open, marking their first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since 2022.
Who defeated Serena and Venus Williams in the first round?
The No. 14 seeded pair of Maya Joint and Hao-ching Chan defeated the Williams sisters 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 in a three-hour thriller.
Will Serena Williams play singles tennis again?
Serena has at least said she intends to play singles again, with the tournament TBD.
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