Venus Williams' Inspiring U.S. Open Return Ends in Doubles Quarterfinals

New York, Sep 3 (AP) - Venus Williams' return to Grand Slam action concluded on Tuesday when she and Leylah Fernandez were defeated in the U.S. Open women's doubles quarterfinals. The top-seeded pair, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, claimed victory in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, in a brisk 56-minute match at Louis Armstrong Stadium. When the match ended, Williams walked to the net, smiling, to offer a handshake to Siniakova and a hug to Townsend. The crowd rose to their feet, giving Williams a standing ovation, with Townsend and Siniakova joining in to applaud her.

“Growing up watching Venus and her sister Serena inspired my sister and me. Sharing the court with Venus today was an honor,” Townsend remarked to the audience. Siniakova lauded Williams, calling her “a legend” and expressed the privilege she felt playing against her.

At 45, Williams had earlier exited both the singles and mixed doubles events in the first round, losing to Karolina Muchova in a singles match that stretched to three sets. After a 16-month hiatus from competition, she returned to play in Washington in July, with her last significant tournament being the 2023 U.S. Open. Reflecting on her return, Williams said, “I'm proud of myself for facing the challenges of such a long layoff. I've never been on the bench that long. It was tough, but I stayed true to myself and my game. I went for it, and I'm proud of that. Though I didn't achieve what I wanted this time, I know I can seize opportunities when they arise.”

Williams did not disclose concrete future plans but hinted at continuing to play. “Seeing Venus play with such joy reminded me of why I started playing tennis,” shared Fernandez, a Canadian who was runner-up in singles at the 2021 New York tournament.

The pair was granted a wild-card entry by the U.S. Tennis Association, and their partnership debut was impressive, not losing a set in their first three matches.

Currently ranked No. 1 in doubles, Townsend and Siniakova are seasoned partners with significant victories, including Wimbledon 2024 and the current year's Australian Open. Siniakova boasts 10 Grand Slam titles in women's doubles.

Williams' legacy includes 14 Grand Slam women's doubles titles with her sister Serena, who retired in 2022. Venus also holds seven singles major titles and two in mixed doubles.

Notably, she was the oldest participant in the U.S. Open singles draw since 1981. Townsend, continuing in Flushing Meadows for doubles, faced a challenging singles departure, unable to convert eight match points against Barbora Krejcikova in a fourth-round clash. “It was a tough battle, but I left everything on the court. That's all my team and I could wish for,” Townsend reflected. “Matches like that define opportunities, a chance to either elevate or fall back.”

Townsend also made headlines with a tense interaction with Jelena Ostapenko post a singles match. In the doubles semifinals, Townsend and Siniakova will face the No. 4 seeds, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens. The other semifinal showcases No. 2 seeds Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini against No. 3 Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.

Kudermetova and Mertens recently secured a Wimbledon victory last month, while Errani and Paolini celebrated their win at the French Open this past June. (AP) AM AM AM

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