Updated

Updated · Tennishead · Sep 5

Serena and Venus Williams Draw Backlash After Skipping US Open Press Conference Following 1st-Round Loss

Updated

Updated · Tennishead · Sep 5

Serena and Venus Williams Draw Backlash After Skipping US Open Press Conference Following 1st-Round Loss

Q: Why did the legendary Williams sisters suddenly vanish after a devastating US Open collapse, and will they face official fines?

Serena and Venus Williams left without speaking because the USTA said they would “not be available for press” after their painful first-round doubles loss, but no public reason was given at the time. That sparked the backlash: post-match media sessions at Grand Slams are generally mandatory, and the sisters’ absence came immediately after they blew a 5-0 lead in the deciding match tiebreak against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint. As for fines, they could face them, but it is not certain and a maximum penalty is unlikely. Under the Grand Slam rule book, players who skip required media duties can be fined up to $50,000 unless they have “reasonable grounds,” such as injury or illness, or otherwise satisfy officials with an alternative explanation. The USTA has the authority to impose a sanction, but as of now there has been no confirmed announcement that either Serena or Venus has actually been fined. There is recent precedent for leniency. Serena avoided punishment at Wimbledon earlier this year after missing press because her agent said she had tweaked her knee, and organizers accepted that explanation. That suggests any US Open penalty would depend on whether tournament officials accept the sisters’ reason for leaving. So the short answer is that they vanished without publicly explaining why, likely intensifying criticism after the collapse, and while fines are possible under tournament rules, none had been officially confirmed.

3 articles · Updated · Tennishead · Sep 5

Serena and Venus Williams skipped their post-match press conference after blowing a 5-0 lead in the deciding set and losing 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(7) in the US Open women’s doubles first round.
Social media criticism quickly followed, with fans calling the move unprofessional and arguing the sisters should face fines or lose prize money because media duties are part of tournament obligations.
The no-show echoed Serena Williams’ absence from media after her first-round Wimbledon singles loss earlier this year, adding to complaints that the sisters were avoiding accountability after defeats.
Serena’s comeback since retiring after the 2022 US Open has produced just 2 wins in 7 matches, and her future — along with Venus’s — remains unclear despite hints she wants another singles return.