Serena and Venus Williams fell short in their first doubles match together since 2022, losing to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns at the Cincinnati Open in a closely contested tie-break.
The Williams sisters made their return to doubles competition at the Cincinnati Open, but were unable to secure victory in their opening match after a four-year absence from playing together. Serena and Venus lost 6-2 1-6 10-8 to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk and American Peyton Stearns in front of a full crowd. The pair last competed as a doubles team at the 2022 US Open, marking the end of an era that saw them win 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals together.
The match was characterized by an uneven start, with the Williams sisters dropping the opening set decisively before rebounding in the second. They mounted a strong comeback in the deciding 10-point tie-break after falling behind 6-0, with Serena delivering two service winners to keep the pair competitive. However, Kostyuk and Stearns held their nerve to secure the win when Venus committed a double fault.
Serena's return to competitive tennis has been gradual following her "evolution away" from the sport in 2022. She began her comeback in doubles in June and played singles as a wildcard at Wimbledon, though a knee injury in her first-round match interrupted those plans. This Cincinnati match marked her first competition since that setback. Venus, meanwhile, has been more active in recent weeks, competing in both singles and doubles at multiple hard-court events.
Despite the loss, both sisters expressed satisfaction with their performance. Serena described the match as "fun" and "special," noting they were "starting to feel it" as the match progressed and attributing their rough opening to some "rust." Venus similarly reflected positively on their reunion, stating "we find our way to each other" and highlighting the mutual support between them. Both would require wildcards to compete at the upcoming US Open, which begins August 30.
