NEW YORK – Venus Williams ended in his first Grand Slam tournament in two years that ended Tuesday, when she and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez lost to the top-seeded duo of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the U.S. Open Women’s Doubles quarterfinals 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
When the game ended 56 minutes after the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Williams smiled and hugged Townsend as he walked online to shake hands with Siniakova. Thousands of viewers rose up Williams’ applause. Townsend and Siniakova then joined to applaud Williams.
“Growing up looking at Venus and (her sister) Serena, it was an inspiration for me and my sister,” Townsend told the crowd. “It is an honor to share the court today.”
Siniakova called Williams a “legendary” and said playing with her was “a honor.”
The 45-year-old Williams earlier withdrew from the first round of two singles – against Karolina Muchova in three sets and mixed doubles. She lost 16 months of the game until she returned to Washington in July. Her most recent major tournament is the 2023 U.S. Open.
Williams and Fernandez, a 22-year-old who is the runner-up in New York 2021 singles, received a universal option from the American Tennis Association and did not lose the game in their first three games.
Townsend is currently ranked No. 1 in doubles, while Siniakova, an experienced duo who won Wimbledon in 2024 and opened the Australians together this year. Siniakova won a total of 10 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles.
Of course, Williams is the owner of 14 Grand Slam titles in the women’s doubles, and Serena left the Pro Tour in 2022.
Older fellow Williams also won seven major singles titles, with the other two winning in mixed doubles.
She is the oldest singles player to attract at the U.S. Open since 1981.
Townsend’s time at Flushing Meadows continued in the women’s doubles match as she failed to convert eight match points and was beaten by Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round.
“It’s been a tough game, but in the end, I put everything on the court. It’s the only thing that the team and I asked for,” Townsend said. “I really feel like a game like this is the defined moment and opportunity. You can go up or down.”
Townsend had a tense post-match exchange with Jelena Ostapenko after the singles match.
In the doubles semifinals, Townsend and Siniakova will meet the 4th seed, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens. Another semifinal was second-place Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, against third-place Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.
Kudermetova and Mertens won Wimbledon last month. Errani and Paolini won the French Open in June.
