August 29, 2025
‘That felt wonderful as a result of I by no means actually performed with a associate — outdoors of Serena, clearly — who had that sort of mentality, so it was actually enjoyable.’
Venus Williams emerged victorious in her newest doubles match on the U.S. Open, successful for the primary time in additional than a decade, partnered with somebody aside from Serena Williams.
In response to The Related Press, Venus and Leylah Fernandez related to beat the sixth-seeded pair of Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez 7-6 (4), 6-3. Though she has gained 14 main championships together with her sibling, she insists that Fernandez is “the very best associate I ever performed with — outdoors of Serena.”
“Our power actually matched one another by way of dedication, by way of not giving up, by way of actually nonetheless simply targeted and dialed in in each single factor,” Venus mentioned after the match. “That felt wonderful as a result of I by no means actually performed with a associate — outdoors of Serena, clearly — who had that sort of mentality, so it was actually enjoyable.”
Surprisingly, Venus claimed she isn’t comfy enjoying doubles regardless of enjoying all these years with Serena.
“It’s an space that I’m not that comfy in, being on a doubles court docket, however I feel you get to some level within the match the place you cease serious about it,” Venus admitted. “When push involves shove, I’ll do what I’ve to, however I’m a singles participant, so in fact, after I stroll on the market, I truly inform myself simply to play singles and take a look at that methodology. I attempt to not be one thing that I’m not.”
This was Venus’ first doubles victory in New York Metropolis in over 10 years since successful a match in 2014, when she and her sister made it to the quarterfinals.
Venus is coming off not enjoying on the tour for over a 12 months when she returned to the court docket in July. Through the DC Open, she grew to become the oldest participant to win a singles match on the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA )Tour since Martina Navratilova gained a Wimbledon match in 2004. Earlier than stepping again on the tennis court docket earlier this 12 months, the final time Williams performed on a tennis court docket was in March 2024, when she misplaced an opening-round match in opposition to Diana Shnaider on the Miami Open. Her final victory earlier than the match in July, as a singles participant, was a victory in 2023 in opposition to Veronika Kudermetova within the opening spherical of the Cincinnati Open.
The 45-year-old tennis participant and the 22-year-old Fernandez will play in opposition to Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi within the second.
“I truly really feel nice,” Williams mentioned. “With some luck, we’ll keep, possibly win one other spherical and simply preserve getting higher.”
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