Serena and Venus Williams Suffer First-Round Exit in US Open 2026 Women’s Doubles

September 5, 2026

New York, US: Serena Williams and Venus Williams’ much-awaited return to Grand Slam women’s doubles ended in heartbreak as the legendary sisters suffered a first-round defeat at the US Open 2026 on Friday.

The American duo, playing together at the tournament for the first time since 2022, went down 3-6, 7-6(6), 10-7 against 14th seeds Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan in a thrilling contest at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match lasted more than three hours.

The Williams sisters had received a wild card for the women’s doubles draw, giving them another opportunity to add to their remarkable Grand Slam legacy. They had last played together at the US Open in 2022, when they lost in the first round.

Williams sisters fight back after losing first set

Joint and Chan made a strong start and took control of the opening set, winning it 6-3. Serena and Venus, however, responded strongly in the second set and forced a tiebreak.

The sisters held their nerve in the second-set tiebreak to win 7-6(6) and take the match into a deciding match tiebreak.

The Williams duo then produced another impressive comeback after falling 1-4 behind in the deciding set. They eventually took a 5-0 lead in the final tiebreak and appeared to be on course for a dramatic victory.

However, Joint and Chan fought back and turned the match around, winning the deciding tiebreak 10-7 to seal their place in the second round.

The defeat ended Serena and Venus’ first Grand Slam women’s doubles campaign together since 2022. The sisters remain 14-time Grand Slam women’s doubles champions and have won the US Open women’s doubles title twice.

Serena Williams had no fixed agenda for comeback

Ahead of her return to women’s doubles with Venus, Serena Williams said she was approaching her comeback without a fixed long-term plan.

“I’m taking it one match at a time and seeing where my body can take me,” Serena said in an interview, adding that she was enjoying being back on the court and seeing what she was capable of.

The 44-year-old returned to competitive tennis in 2026 after nearly four years away from the sport. She had already featured at the US Open in mixed doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz before teaming up with Venus in the women’s doubles draw.

Serena’s return to the US Open has therefore ended earlier than she would have hoped in women’s doubles, but the dramatic contest against Joint and Chan provided another memorable chapter in the careers of the Williams sisters.