Milan, Aug. 18 (LaPresse) – On Monday evening, at the Cincinnati tournament, Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together since the 2022 US Open, losing an exciting match 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. The sisters almost managed to come back from a 6-0 deficit in the deciding super tie-break, before a double fault by Venus Williams ended their first doubles appearance at a non-Grand Slam tournament since the 2016 Italian Open. “It was fun,” Serena said. “It was special. We shook off some of the rust halfway through the match and then, you know, we started to feel in form. I didn’t come here to win this tournament. Winning is obviously great. But in this situation, just having fun. It was really nice to be able to do it again,” she added. Serena Williams had stayed away from the tour since 2022, before returning this summer at the age of 44. The sisters had planned to play together at Wimbledon, but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee during the singles match she lost. They entered Cincinnati as wild cards. “In the end, we found our way back together,” said 46-year-old Venus Williams about the decision to return to playing doubles. “It’s the first time we’ve played together in a very long time. It was fantastic to be back on the court and do it,” she added. Kostyuk and Stearns, both 24, are playing their first tournament together. Kostyuk is Ukrainian, while Stearns grew up in Mason, a Cincinnati suburb where the tournament is held every year.
Tennis, WTA Cincinnati: Williams sisters return to doubles, immediately knocked out
Milan, Aug. 18 (LaPresse) – On Monday evening, at the Cincinnati tournament, Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together since the 2022 US Open, losing an exciting match 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. The sisters almost managed to come back from a 6-0 deficit in the deciding super tie-break, before a double fault by Venus Williams ended their first doubles appearance at a non-Grand Slam tournament since the 2016 Italian Open. “It was fun,” Serena said. “It was special. We shook off some of the rust halfway through the match and then, you know, we started to feel in form. I didn’t come here to win this tournament. Winning is obviously great. But in this situation, just having fun. It was really nice to be able to do it again,” she added. Serena Williams had stayed away from the tour since 2022, before returning this summer at the age of 44. The sisters had planned to play together at Wimbledon, but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee during the singles match she lost. They entered Cincinnati as wild cards. “In the end, we found our way back together,” said 46-year-old Venus Williams about the decision to return to playing doubles. “It’s the first time we’ve played together in a very long time. It was fantastic to be back on the court and do it,” she added. Kostyuk and Stearns, both 24, are playing their first tournament together. Kostyuk is Ukrainian, while Stearns grew up in Mason, a Cincinnati suburb where the tournament is held every year.