Venus Williams’ US Open Run Ends in Doubles Quarter-Finals

Venus Williams’ US Open journey came to an end after she and her partner, Leylah Fernandez, lost in the women’s doubles quarter-finals.

The 45-year-old American and her 22-year-old Canadian partner were beaten by top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who won 6-1, 6-2 in just 57 minutes.

Before this match, Venus and Leylah had enjoyed an impressive run, knocking out two seeded pairs and not dropping a single set. But Townsend and Siniakova, who have already won two Grand Slam titles together, proved too strong for the wildcard team.

Despite the loss, Venus smiled as she left the court to a standing ovation. She had looked emotional earlier in the tournament after losing in the singles first round.

Both Townsend and Siniakova praised Williams after the match.

“Growing up, my sister and I wanted to be like Venus and Serena,” Townsend said. “It was an honour to share the court with her.”
“It’s a privilege,” added Siniakova.

A Legendary Career

Williams is a four-time US Open champion. She won singles titles in 2000 and 2001, and two doubles titles with her sister Serena in 1999 and 2009.

She has also overcome many health challenges in her career, including wrist and back injuries and a diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue.

This was Venus’s first Grand Slam quarter-final since 2017 and her first doubles quarter-final since winning Wimbledon in 2016.

A Tough Match

The match started quickly, with Townsend and Siniakova winning 12 of the first 13 points and taking a 3-0 lead. The crowd was quiet at first, but they came alive when Venus hit a powerful forehand winner in the fourth game.

Although she later held serve, the top seeds were in full control. They lost only six points on serve the whole match.

The second set was more competitive, with both Venus and Leylah holding serve. But their opponents were too consistent, hitting 12 winners and just two unforced errors. The wildcard pair couldn’t find a way back.

Townsend and Siniakova, who haven’t dropped a set in the tournament, now move on to face fourth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens in the semi-finals.