Serena and Venus Williams are set to compete together once again at the U.S. Open tennis tournament. The duo secured a wild card entry on Wednesday for the doubles event, a competition they have previously won twice.
After a four-year hiatus, Serena Williams made her return to the tennis scene earlier this summer. Initially slated to play at Wimbledon alongside her sister, Serena had to withdraw due to a knee injury sustained during a singles match. Their most recent appearance at the Cincinnati Open saw them exit in the opening round.
The Williams sisters have a formidable record at the U.S. Open, clinching the doubles title in 1999 and 2009 with a 27-7 overall record in nine appearances. Their last outing in 2022 ended in a first-round defeat, which was anticipated to be Serena’s final match at Flushing Meadows.
During the current tournament, Serena, aged 44, partnered with Carlos Alcaraz for mixed doubles, securing one victory before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Venus, aged 46, is competing in the women’s singles category.
Together, the Williams sisters have amassed an impressive tally of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2008, and 2012. They also held the top spot in the women’s doubles rankings for a span of eight weeks.
Serena made the decision not to participate in the singles competition at the U.S. Open, where she has triumphed six times in Grand Slam singles events. However, she felt fit enough to accept wild card entries for both the men’s and women’s doubles events.
Their first U.S. Open doubles victory coincided with Serena’s maiden singles title win at the same event. Their dominance as a doubles pair peaked about ten years later with victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2009, followed by another U.S. Open triumph that same year. They continued their success by claiming the Australian Open title in 2010 and subsequently conquering the French Open, holding all four major titles simultaneously.
The commencement of the women’s doubles tournament is scheduled for September 3.