Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Aug 18

Williams Sisters Fall 10-8 in Cincinnati Return as Serena Says Reunion Was About Fun

Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Aug 18

Williams Sisters Fall 10-8 in Cincinnati Return as Serena Says Reunion Was About Fun

Q: Will this dramatic tiebreak loss mark the final chapter of the Williams sisters' legendary doubles partnership?

No. The Cincinnati loss does not look like a definitive ending, though it underscored how uncertain any future appearances remain. The clearest evidence is what Serena and Venus said afterward. Neither spoke as if this were a farewell. Venus said they had “waited a long time” to get back together and that they were only beginning to find their rhythm. Serena framed the match less as a last stand than as part of a gradual comeback, saying the point was to have fun, test how they felt, and let fans see them again. Their schedule also leaves the door open. Cincinnati was widely viewed as a warmup for the U.S. Open, where wild cards could still put them into doubles, singles or mixed doubles. Serena has been managing a comeback after nearly four years away and a recent knee injury, while Venus has been more active on the hard-court swing. That makes any plan fragile, but not finished. What is true is that the partnership is now episodic, not regular. They had not played together since the 2022 U.S. Open, and this was their first non-Grand Slam doubles event together since 2016. At ages 44 and 46, with Serena openly saying this return will not last forever, every match could be one of the last. So the tiebreak loss may prove symbolic, but there is not enough evidence yet to call it the final chapter of one of tennis’s greatest teams.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 18

A 10-8 match tiebreak ended Venus and Serena Williams’ first doubles match in four years, with Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns closing out a 6-2, 1-6 victory in Cincinnati.
Serena’s rust after limited matchplay and a knee injury from Wimbledon showed early as the sisters dropped five straight games, then found rhythm in the second set before Venus double-faulted at 8-9.
Serena said winning was secondary to testing how they felt on court and giving fans another chance to watch them together, calling the comeback process more enjoyable this time.
A 5,000-seat grandstand court overflowed despite the match’s billing as a rare reunion, highlighting demand for the sisters’ return and the constraints of tournament TV scheduling.
The loss still served as a tune-up before the US Open and revived attention on one of tennis’s greatest doubles pairings, owners of 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic golds together.