Four years after their last appearance together in New York, Serena and Venus Williams stepped onto the hard courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday evening for a highly anticipated US Open doubles return. Their reunion, billed as a possible historic moment for the 14‑time Grand Slam champions, instead produced a dramatic three‑hour contest that ended in defeat at the hands of Taiwan’s Chan Hao‑Ching and American Maya Joint.
Match Overview
The opening set unfolded in favor of Chan and Joint, who secured a relatively straightforward 6‑3 win. The Williams sisters rallied in the second set, pushing the match to a tiebreak after both teams held serve through the first twelve games. In the tiebreak, Serena produced a backhand volley winner to give the sisters a 5‑3 edge, but Chan answered with a net winner and Venus responded with a backhand winner that set up a second‑set point for the Williams pair.
Joint’s powerful serve then cut the lead to 6‑5, only for Serena to double‑fault on the fourth set point. Two points later, Joint’s forehand sailed long on the fifth set point, handing Chan and Joint the second set 7‑6 (8). The decisive third set saw the momentum swing back and forth, ultimately culminating in a super tiebreak that would decide the match.
Key Moments and Turning Points
Early in the deciding set, Chan and Joint surged to a 4‑1 advantage. The Williams sisters answered by winning the next three games, leveling the set and forcing a series of four consecutive service holds that brought the encounter to a super tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Serena and Venus raced to a 5‑0 lead, suggesting a swift closure. However, a string of unforced errors – including consecutive shots into the net and a double fault from Venus at 6‑3 – halted their surge.
Chan and Joint then seized control, capturing six of the next seven points. The climax arrived at 9‑7 when Chan delivered a decisive volley winner, sealing a 7‑6[7] victory for the pair. The match, lasting three hours, marked the second super tiebreak loss for the Williams sisters since reuniting on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes‑Benz. Their first reunion match in Cincinnati the previous month also ended in a super tiebreak defeat, this time to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, 6‑2, 1‑6, [10‑8].
Post‑match, Joint reflected on the atmosphere, noting, “I think the crowd is pretty much what we expected. We expected a full stadium, and everyone cheering them, and it was pretty much that. But the atmosphere is super special. You’re not really going to get that again with many other players.” She added, “I felt relieved… I was very nervous. I was very stressed during the match, especially the second and third sets… I felt very, very relieved when it was over.”
Chan praised the Williams sisters for adjusting their tactics after the first set. “I think we started very aggressive in the first set, and even with the return game, we tried to be aggressive – also at the net. And I think they switched something. They started to go down the line more in the second set,” she said.
Implications and Next Round
With the victory, Chan Hao‑Ching and Maya Joint advance to the second round of the US Open, where they are slated to face the unseeded duo of Tamara Korpatsch and Nicole Fossa Huergo. Their win not only halts the Williams sisters’ comeback hopes but also underscores the depth and competitiveness of the women’s doubles field, where even the most decorated teams can be challenged by disciplined, aggressive play.
For Serena and Venus, the loss adds to a recent pattern of narrow defeats in super tiebreaks, highlighting the fine margins that separate victory from defeat at the elite level. Their partnership, revived earlier this season, will now look to regroup and address the errors that proved costly in New York, particularly the double faults and net‑tinged shots that opened the door for their opponents in the final stages.
As the US Open progresses, the early drama of this first‑round encounter sets a tone for a tournament where legacy, expectation, and the relentless pursuit of points converge on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
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