Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Sep 5: Serena and Venus Williams' much-anticipated return to Grand Slam tennis ended in disappointment as the legendary sisters suffered a first-round defeat in the women's doubles at the US Open 2026.

The Williams sisters, who had not featured together in a Grand Slam since 2022, received a wildcard entry for the women's doubles draw, giving fans another opportunity to watch the iconic duo compete on the biggest stage.

Serena and Venus faced Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching in their opening-round encounter. Despite the anticipation surrounding their comeback, the sisters were unable to progress to the second round, losing 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-10 in a marathon contest lasting three hours and two minutes.

Joint and Chan made a strong start and claimed the opening set 6-3, putting the Williams sisters under early pressure. Serena and Venus fought back in the second set and managed to take it to a tie-break, where they prevailed 7-6(6) to level the contest.

The deciding set, however, went in favour of Joint and Chan. The pair held their nerve to win the match tie-break 10-7 and seal their place in the second round.

The defeat brought an emotional end to Serena and Venus Williams' latest Grand Slam campaign, with their return to competitive tennis attracting considerable attention from fans around the world.

Ahead of the tournament, Serena had indicated that she was approaching the comeback without setting specific targets and intended to assess her progress one match at a time. She had also spoken about her preparations and the feeling of returning to the court alongside her sister.

Although their US Open campaign ended in the opening round, the appearance marked another memorable chapter in the careers of two of the most influential figures in women's tennis.