Serena and Venus lose in thrilling US Open doubles comeback

The iconic pair of Serena Williams and Venus Williams faced a devastating first-round elimination in their highly anticipated return to the US Open women’s doubles at Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

In a challenging three-hour match on Friday, September 4, 2026, they were defeated by the 14th-seeded duo of Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint.

Match Breakdown.

 Set 1 (6-3): Chan and Joint established a quick tempo early, breaking the Williams sisters in the fourth game and maintaining their advantage to secure the first set.

Set 2 (6-7): The legendary sisters tapped into their renowned synergy, battling through lengthy service games to force a tiebreaker. They narrowly triumphed over the 14th seeds 8-6 in the tiebreak, extending the match.

Set 3 (7-6): Serena and Venus rallied from a 4-1 deficit to take the final set into a 10-point super tiebreak.

The Deciding Super Tiebreak (10-7): The American duo thrilled the 23,000-strong crowd by jumping to a significant 5-0 lead. However, Joint and Chan executed an impressive comeback, winning 10 of the last 12 points to secure the win.

This marks the second occasion this summer that the young Australian Maya Joint has thwarted a comeback from Serena Williams, having previously defeated her in the singles at Wimbledon.

Venus, aged 46, and Serena, aged 44, had not participated in Grand Slam doubles since the 2022 US Open and last claimed a title together at Roland Garros in 2018. They displayed moments of their exceptional talent, with Serena particularly formidable at the net, although she struggled with her serve. After losing the first set, they managed to level the match in the second-set tiebreak.