How Serena Williams Ended Up Playing Her Last Doubles Match With Her Sister
It's hard to name a more iconic sports duo than the Williams sisters. Since the 1990s, Serena and Venus Williams have been making waves in the world of tennis. They've inspired women around the world with their triumphant stories. As two Black women who grew up in Compton, California during the 1980s, the odds were not in their favor (via Harper's Bazaar). Despite this, they persevered and became legends who are now synonymous with women's tennis.
Given their athletic prowess and impressive wins over the years, it's always a monumental event when the two face off against the other on the court, as they've done a number of times throughout their professional careers (via CBS Sports). However, there's something special about seeing the sisters work together on the same side of the court. Serena and Venus' relationship has always been fueled by love, sportsmanship, and perhaps a little bit of friendly rivalry, so it's always a treat to see how the two work together. Because of this, when the announcement was made that the pair would be playing doubles together at the 2022 U.S. Open, the world was watching with bated breath.
Serena asked Venus to play with her in the U.S. Open
Taking to the court together at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens in September 2022 marked their 35th time playing doubles together professionally (via U.S. Open). According to a video shared on Instagram by the official account of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, it was Serena, the younger sibling, who suggested the two sisters once again play doubles in the tournament. In a press conference, a smiling Venus jokingly shared how her younger sister asked her to play.
"She's the boss, so I do whatever she tells me to do," Venus told reporters. "I don't think we've played [doubles] since 2016." Her humorous response definitely gives off the vibe of an older sibling going along with their younger sibling's adventurous ideas.
Her quote harkens back to when the sisters played doubles at Wimbledon in 2016, at which point Venus admitted that she "didn't want to let Serena down" (via BBC Sport). That bond and determination they shared shone through at the tournament. The powerful duo reigned victorious in their match and claimed their sixth Wimbledon doubles title, securing their place as one of the most successful tennis pairings in history.
The U.S. Open 2022 might be their last doubles match together
Since it had been four years since Venus and Serena last played doubles together at Roland Garros, you can bet tennis fans were excited to see the dynamic duo together on the court once more at the 2022 U.S. Open. It seemed likely that this was to be their last doubles match together, especially given that Serena Williams planned to step away from tennis to pursue her other passions. The U.S. Open was meant to be part of her farewell tour. Venus, on the other hand, is leaving her future open and has yet to address whether or not she will be evolving away from the sport.
Unfortunately, the sisters lost during the first round to opponents Lucie Hradecká and Linda Nosková (via U.S. Open). The final score count was 7-6 in the first set and 6-4 in the second. While the night ended with a loss for the sisters, everyone who was there at Arthur Ashe Stadium that night can say they were lucky enough to witness what might be the final time Serena and Venus play professionally on the same court.