Williams sisters eliminated in Cincinnati Open doubles tie-break thriller
The 44-year-old Serena Williams and 46-year-old Venus Williams were defeated 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 in the first round of the women’s doubles at the Cincinnati Open, ending their comeback campaign in a decisive tie-break.
Serena and Venus Williams have been eliminated from the Cincinnati Open after suffering a three-set defeat to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the first round of the women’s doubles. The match, which concluded with a score of 2-6, 6-1, 10-8, marked the sisters’ first doubles appearance together since the 2022 US Open.
Entering the tournament as wild-card entries, the Williams sisters faced a challenging start against the Ukrainian-American pairing. After losing the opening set, the sisters rallied to take the second set and force a deciding 10-point tie-break. The tie-break proved dramatic, with the Williams sisters trailing 6-0 before mounting a comeback to reach match point at 8-7. The contest ended when Venus Williams committed a double fault, handing the victory to Kostyuk and Stearns.
Serena Williams, aged 44, described the experience as “fun” and “special,” noting that the primary objective was not victory but rather the opportunity to compete. She stated she did not enter the tournament with the aim of winning, emphasising the enjoyment of returning to the court. This match represents only Serena’s fourth appearance since her return to the WTA Tour this summer.
Venus Williams, 46, expressed satisfaction at reuniting with her sister on the court after a significant hiatus. The pair had previously been scheduled to compete together at Wimbledon but withdrew due to an injury sustained by Serena. Their participation in Cincinnati was their first non-Grand Slam doubles appearance together since the Italian Open.
Kostyuk and Stearns, playing their first tournament as a team, will advance to face third seeds Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic in the next round. The victory for the Ukrainian and American duo concludes a high-profile encounter that drew significant attention from fans and media alike.
