Venus Williams isn’t done yet at the US Open.
Williams and her playing partner, 22-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez, secured a 6-3, 6-4 upset of 12th-seeded duo Zhang Shuai and Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday in the third round of doubles play at the US Open. They’ll now advance to the quarterfinals, three wins away from a Grand Slam title.
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For Williams, the victory continues a return to form in doubles at 45 years old on the heels of a 16-month layoff from tennis. For Fernandez, it marks a continued chance to write a thrilling tennis chapter alongside a legend of the game.
Williams/Fernandez take early control for commanding win
Williams and Fernandez secured the first break of the match for a 2-0 first-set lead. After surrendering a break that allowed Zhang and Alexandrova to get back on serve, a Williams return secured another break and a 5-3 lead. Williams and Fernandez then secured the set on their serve.
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The second set looked much like the first. Williams and Fernandez secured the first break before Alexandrova and Zhang broke back to get back on serve at 3-2. But Williams and Fernandez broke again for a 4-3 lead and ultimately won the match on Williams’ serve.
Williams was all smiles in a post-match interview while thanking the supportive crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
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“I’m telling you, we can feel your energy,” she said. “It puts us up. Whenever we have a moment, whenever it’s not going perfect, you guys bring us up. So thank you so much.”
Fernandez, 23 years younger than Williams, spoke about how Williams serves as an inspiration.
“Venus, I’ve said this like a million times,” she said while looking at Williams. “Seeing you play on the court with the same big smile that you had back then, it’s so inspirational. It motivates me to keep going. I love that you love tennis.”
Return to form for Williams at 45 years old
Williams is a 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion, a record that includes two wins at the US Open. She won each of those 14 titles alongside her sister and fellow tennis icon, Serena Williams. With Serena retired, Williams is playing doubles for the first time with Fernandez, who is just the fourth doubles partner of her career other than Serena.
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Prior to this year’s first-round win, Williams hadn’t won a Grand Slam doubles match since the 2018 French Open. By advancing to the quarterfinals, Williams has secured her best finish at a Grand Slam doubles tournament since winning Wimbledon with Serena in 2016.
Fernandez was a finalist at the 2023 French Open alongside playing partner Taylor Townsend. She was also a finalist in singles at the 2021 US Open, her best-ever finish at a Grand Slam. She’ll now look to repeat the magic of that run in doubles alongside one of the game’s all-time greats.
Help from Serena
The two are clearly meshing on the court. And they’re each getting helpful advice from their respective sisters.
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“It’s so funny, because mid-match, I told Leylah, ‘I was like, you know, Serena’ — I’m not gonna tell you what she told me — ‘but she said I have to do this more.’ And then Leylah says, ‘My sister told me the same thing.’ The same exact advice.
“It’s so funny, we’re on the same wave length. And hopefully we can keep it going.”
The pair also have their victory routine down pat. In what’s now becoming a post-match tradition, Fernandez ceded the celebratory spotlight for Williams to do her signature twirl and wave for a roaring crowd. Fernandez then took her own turn in the spotlight.
Will Serena show up for quarterfinals?
Serena has been watching from home and jokingly rolled her eyes at her sister playing with a partner that’s not her in a TikTok video that she shared after Williams’ and Fernandez’s second-round win.
On Monday, Williams invited Serena to show up and let her feelings be known in person.
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“She’s so happy for Leylah and I, and she’s given us advice,” Williams said. “We just need her in the box.
“‘My message is, ‘Serena, you need to show up.'”
Wednesday’s quarterfinal could be a blockbuster. Williams and Fernandez will take on the winner between the top-seeded duo of Fernandez’s former American partner Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková and unseeded duo Camila Osorio and Dayana Yastremska.
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