NEW YORK — Venus Williams’ first Grand Slam event in two years ended on Tuesday when she and Leylah Fernandez misplaced within the U.S. Open ladies’s doubles quarterfinals to the top-seeded duo of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-2.
When the match completed after 56 minutes in Louis Armstrong Stadium, Williams smiled as she walked to the online to shake fingers with Siniakova, then hug Townsend. 1000’s of spectators rose to offer Williams a standing ovation; Townsend and Siniakova then joined in, applauding for Williams.
“Rising up watching Venus and (her sister) Serena, for me and my sister, it was an inspiration,” Townsend informed the gang. “It was an honor to share the courtroom at this time.”
Siniakova referred to as Williams “a legend” and stated it was “a privilege” to play towards her.
The 45-year-old Williams earlier exited within the first spherical of each singles — bowing out towards Karolina Muchova in three units — and combined doubles. She was out of competitors for 16 months till returning to play at a event in Washington in July. Her most up-to-date main event had been the 2023 U.S. Open.
“What I’m proudest of is it’s not simple to come back off the bench. It actually isn’t, and I’ve by no means had a layoff that lengthy. It introduced new challenges that I wasn’t prepared for in so some ways. So I’m very proud that I … stayed myself. I didn’t attempt to play one other sport. I didn’t attempt to play it secure. I went for it, and that’s who I’m. I am going for it. Once you go for it, good issues occur,” Williams stated. “Maybe I didn’t get there this time, however I do know who I’m, and I do know that I can work as soon as I’ve somewhat probability.”
She stated she wasn’t certain of future plans however made it sound as if she plans to play once more.
“Seeing Venus taking part in on courtroom for pleasure simply sort of introduced me again as to why I began taking part in tennis,” stated Fernandez, a 22-year-old from Canada who was the 2021 singles runner-up in New York.
Williams and Fernandez obtained a wild-card entry from the U.S. Tennis Affiliation and had not misplaced a set of their first three matches of their debut as a group.
Townsend, who’s at present ranked No. 1 in doubles, and Siniakova are an skilled duo who gained Wimbledon in 2024 and the Australian Open this yr collectively. Siniakova has gained a complete of 10 Grand Slam titles in ladies’s doubles.
Williams, in fact, is the proprietor of 14 Grand Slam titles in ladies’s doubles alongside Serena, who left the skilled tour in 2022.
The older Williams sibling has additionally gained seven main singles championships and one other two in combined doubles.
She was the oldest participant within the singles draw on the U.S. Open since 1981.
Townsend’s time in Flushing Meadows continues in ladies’s doubles after she did not convert eight match factors and obtained knocked out of singles within the fourth spherical by Barbora Krejcikova.
“It was a troublesome match, however in the end, I left all the things out on the courtroom. That was the one factor that me and the group might ask for,” Townsend stated. “I actually really feel like matches like which are defining moments and alternatives. You may both go up or go down.”
Townsend was additionally within the highlight for a tense post-match alternate of phrases with Jelena Ostapenko after a singles match.
Within the doubles semifinals, Townsend and Siniakova will meet the No. 4 seeds, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens. The opposite semifinal matchup is No. 2 Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini towards No. 3 Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.
Kudermetova and Mertens gained Wimbledon final month. Errani and Paolini gained the French Open in June.
