Venus Williams falls in US Open doubles to Townsend/Siniakova

Venus Williams Says Goodbye to the US Open in Doubles Quarterfinals

The tennis legend, Venus Williams, saw her participation in the US Open come to an end this Tuesday, after falling in the women’s doubles quarterfinals alongside Leylah Fernandez. The pair faced the world’s number one duo, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who prevailed with a score of 6-1, 6-2. The match, which lasted 56 minutes at Louis Armstrong Stadium, ended with an emotional gesture from Williams, who smiled and approached the net to greet Siniakova and embrace Townsend. The audience present paid tribute to the tennis player with a standing ovation, joined by Townsend and Siniakova.

“I grew up watching Venus and (her sister) Serena, for me and my sister, they were an inspiration,” Townsend stated to the audience. “It was an honor to share the court today.”

Taylor Townsend

Siniakova called Williams “a legend” and said it was a “privilege” to play against her.

Katerina Siniakova

Williams, 45, had previously been eliminated in the first round of both singles, losing to Karolina Muchova in three sets, and mixed doubles. Her return to competition came after a 16-month absence, participating in a tournament in Washington in July. Her last appearance in a Grand Slam tournament had been at the 2023 US Open. Williams and Fernandez, a 22-year-old Canadian tennis player who was a singles runner-up in New York in 2021, received a special invitation from the United States Tennis Association and had won their first three matches without losing a set in their debut as a pair. Townsend and Siniakova, who are currently ranked number 1 in doubles, are an experienced duo who won Wimbledon in 2024 and the Australian Open this year. Siniakova has a total of 10 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles. Williams, for her part, holds 14 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, obtained alongside Serena, who retired from the professional circuit in 2022. The elder of the Williams sisters has also won seven Grand Slam singles championships and two in mixed doubles. Williams was the oldest player in the US Open singles draw since 1981.

The image shows Taylor Townsend speaking with the fans at the Louis Armstrong Stadium after the doubles quarterfinal match. “I grew up watching Venus and (her sister) Serena, for me and my sister, they were an inspiration,” Townsend said. Townsend’s participation in Flushing Meadows continues in women’s doubles. In the doubles semifinals, Townsend and Siniakova will face the fourth seeds, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens. The other semifinal will pit Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini against Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe. Kudermetova and Mertens won Wimbledon last month. Errani and Paolini won the French Open in June.