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Williams sisters exit US Open after thrilling return, leaving future uncertain

From BBC News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Serena and Venus Williams lost 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (10-7) to 14th seeds Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in the US Open doubles first round.
  • The veteran American pair rallied from 4-1 down in the deciding set and led 5-0 in the match tiebreak before their opponents fought back.
  • The sisters did not discuss their future after the match, while Serena has hinted at a possible return to singles and Venus has resisted looking beyond doubles.

The Williams sisters’ return to the US Open ended in defeat, but not before Serena and Venus turned a first-round doubles match into one of the tournament’s most anticipated nights. In front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, the American icons lost narrowly to 14th seeds Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (10-7).

It was unbelievable how competitive that was.

· Chanda RubinThe former American player and commentator assessed the Williams sisters' narrow defeat.

The crowd had waited four years to see the siblings back together on Ashe, where they have won eight singles titles between them and two doubles titles as a team. The first set produced relatively little noise from the home fans. That changed as the sisters recovered in the second, then appeared to be slipping away in the decider when they fell 4-1 behind.

Instead, Serena and Venus summoned the determination that has defined their careers and forced a first-to-10 match tiebreak. They surged into a 5-0 lead, putting themselves close to a second-round place, but Chan and Joint rallied. A double fault from each Williams helped the opponents complete their comeback.

After the first set you wondered if Serena and Venus would be able to find their mojo, but, boy, they did.

· Chanda RubinRubin described the sisters' recovery after losing the opening set.

“It was unbelievable how competitive that was,” former American player and commentator Chanda Rubin said. “After the first set you wondered if Serena and Venus would be able to find their mojo, but, boy, they did.” The home crowd gave the sisters a warm farewell, even as the match left open the question of whether they will play together at the US Open again.

have to

· Venus WilliamsVenus said after her singles exit that she should not have to think about her future beyond doubles.

Serena recently hinted in an interview with Good Morning America that she wanted to play singles again. Venus, after losing her singles match on Monday, said she should not “have to” think about her future beyond doubles. Neither addressed those questions after Friday’s match. US Open organizers said the sisters were “not available” to speak to the media. Their appearance still showed the enduring pull of two players who changed women’s tennis and have combined for 30 Grand Slam singles titles and 14 doubles victories as a pair.

not available

· US Open organizersOrganizers said the sisters would not speak to the media after the doubles match.
About this summary

Originally published by BBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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