Stephen Dunmoye
Serena and Venus Williams were given a wildcard entry for women’s doubles at the US Open on Saturday, making it their first tournament as a team in more than four years.
The sisters have not competed anywhere in doubles as a pairing since losing in the third round of the French Open in June 2018.
Since then, Serena entered two doubles events with other partners: one with Caroline Wozniacki in January 2020, and one with Ons Jabeur this June.
However, Serena announced this month that she is preparing to end her playing career and, as she indicated that the US Open would be her final event.
Serena, who turns 41 next month and her sister, Venus, 42, have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together. That includes two championships at Flushing Meadows, in 1999 and 2009 apart from their combined total of 30 major trophies in singles – 23 for Serena, and seven for Venus.
Serena Williams was handed a blockbuster first-round singles tie under the Arthur Ashe lights on the first night of the tournament this Monday.
If she is able to get past world No. 80 Danka Kovinic in her opener, she would face the winner of Anna Kontaveit’s match with Jaqueline Cristian.
The schedule for the tournament was released Friday afternoon, with reigning men’s champion Daniil Medvedev opening the tournament against Stefan Kozlov in the main arena.
