Serena Williams and Venus Williams Lose Thriller in First Doubles Match Together Since 2022

The highly anticipated return of one of tennis’s most iconic doubles partnerships ended in heartbreak. It happened on Monday night at the Cincinnati Open. Playing together for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open, Serena and Venus Williams dazzled the capacity crowd with flashes of vintage brilliance. They then fell in a three-set thriller to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, 2–6, 6–1, (10–8).

Entering the tournament as wild cards, the legendary sisters proved they could still command the court, though a dramatic match tie-break ultimately tipped in favour of their younger opponents.

A Tale of Three Sets and a Fierce Comeback

The opening set belonged firmly to Kostyuk and Stearns. However, after four years of doubles rust, the Williams sisters struggled to find their rhythm, dropping the first set 2–6.

However, the 14-time Grand Slam champions quickly turned the tide in the second. Moreover, raising their intensity at the net and putting immense pressure on their opponents, Serena and Venus rolled through the second set 6–1, forcing a deciding 10-point match tie-break.

The tie-break delivered peak drama:

• The Early Surge: Kostyuk and Stearns raced out to a commanding 6–0 lead in the tie-break.

• The Williams Rally: capitalising on consecutive double faults from Kostyuk, the sisters clawed their way back to 8–7.

• Clutch Shots: Serena brought the stadium to its feet with a powerful overhead smash to save a match point at 9–8.

• The Decider: The incredible comeback ultimately ended when Venus double-faulted on the final point, sealing the victory for Kostyuk and Stearns.

Reflections on a Special Reunion

Despite the narrow defeat, both sisters emphasised the joy of sharing the court once more.

“I thought it was fun. I thought it was special,” Serena said. “We kicked off a little rust in the middle of the match and just, you know, were starting to feel it. I didn’t come out here to win this tournament. Winning is obviously great. But in this position, just having fun. It was really cool to be able to do this again.”

Venus echoed her sister’s sentiments:

“Eventually we would find our way to each other. It’s our first time playing together in forever. It was great for us to get out there and do it.”

For Kostyuk and Stearns—both 24 and playing their first tournament as a team—navigating a fiercely pro-Williams crowd (especially with Stearns playing in her native Ohio) was a unique challenge.

“The crowd got the show,” Kostyuk noted. “They probably couldn’t ask for anything better. At the end, a tie-break is a lottery. You never know which way it’s going to go.”