Williams Sisters Fall Short in Doubles Comeback at Cincinnati

Serena and Venus Williams faced Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns at the Cincinnati Open, marking their first doubles match together in four years. The American sisters lost a closely contested match with scores of 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.

Their last appearance as a doubles team was at the 2022 US Open, which was significant as it was Serena's final tournament before she stepped away from tennis. Serena, 44, returned to doubles in June and played singles at Wimbledon as a wildcard but suffered a knee injury in her first-round loss to Maya Joint, which prevented her from participating in a planned doubles match with Venus, 46.

Venus expressed excitement about their return, stating, “We’ve waited a long time to get back on the doubles court,” and emphasized the support they give each other. This match was significant for both sisters as they continue to navigate their careers in tennis.