Serena and Venus Williams Lose in First-Round Doubles Match at U.S. Open

The Williams sisters last played together at the 2018 French Open.

The Williams sisters reunited on the court but fell short of securing the victory. Venus and Serena Williams teamed up for a doubles match together on Wednesday as part of the U.S. Open. It marked the professional athlete sisters' first doubles match together since the 2018 French Open. 

However, Serena and Venus fell in straight sets to Czech players Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova. The match finished at 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Though it was not the outcome they hoped for, the U.S. Open stadium honored the sisters with a standing ovation. 

Venus and Serena have teamed up throughout their careers, setting records in the Grand Slam doubles finals and winning three Olympic gold medals together. As a doubles pairing, the sisters have won the U.S. Open twice -- in 1999 and then in 2009. 

This is a particularly special U.S. Open for Serena, who recently announced her intention to retire from the sport after decades of breaking barriers. 

On Monday night, Serena beat Montenegrin tennis player Danka Kovinić in her first singles match as her 4-year-old daughter, Olympia, cheered her on in the stands at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Olympia sported a black sparkly ensemble that matched her mom's match attire and wore her hair braided with symbolic white beads as a nod to Serena's early days on the court. 

Serena also opened up to Gayle King on the court about her decision to step away from the sport. 

"I think now's the time. I just have a family. There's other chapters in life," she said. "It's like Serena 2.0." 

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