On Monday night at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Williams sisters made a historic return to the women’s doubles draw of the Cincinnati Open. Serena, who turns 45 next month, and Venus, 46, teamed up for the first time at a tournament since 2022, facing the younger pair of Mason‑native Peyton Stearns and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
Match recap
The match opened with Stearns and Kostyuk taking a commanding 6‑2 lead in the first set. The sisters rallied in the second, with Serena’s confidence visibly growing, and captured the set 6‑1. The contest then moved to a championship tiebreak, where the younger duo held steady and edged the sisters 10‑8, handing the former world No. 1s a hard‑fought defeat.
Players’ reflections
In the post‑match press conference, Serena described the experience as “fun, special, and good,” noting that the pair had to shake off a little rust in the middle of the match. “We were starting to feel it, and it was really fun,” she said, adding that she entered the tournament primarily to enjoy the moment with her sister rather than to chase a title.
Venus echoed the sentiment, saying, “We’ve waited a long time to get back on the doubles court… eventually we find our way to each other.” She highlighted the grace and encouragement the sisters give each other and expressed optimism about their future collaboration.
Opponents’ perspective
Kostyuk said it was “generally special” to play against the legends for the first time, while Stearns observed that the crowd’s enthusiasm for the Williams sisters was palpable. Both young players noted they used the crowd energy as motivation, ultimately flipping the script in the decisive tiebreak.
Community reaction
Top‑ranked American Jessica Pegula, who played earlier on Grandstand Court, praised the atmosphere, saying it felt “full and exciting” to have the Williams sisters follow her match. Fans in the stadium gave the sisters a warm reception, underscoring the lasting impact the family has on the sport and on local tennis enthusiasts.
Looking ahead
The Cincinnati Open continues through the week, with final matches scheduled for Sunday. While the Williams sisters did not advance, their appearance added a memorable chapter to the tournament’s history and gave local fans a rare chance to witness two of tennis’s most iconic figures share the court once again.
Original reporting: KOCO Sports (Oklahoma City) — read the source article.
