Serena Williams is officially set for a massive opening round at the U.S. Open women’s doubles tournament, and trust me, this one is gonna be spicy! She’s locked in to face Maya Joint, who you might remember from that tough Wimbledon loss Serena took earlier this year. It’s a different game, sure, this time in doubles with her sister Venus by her side, but you know Serena’s got that competitive fire. This isn’t just any match; it’s a chance to go head-to-head with Joint again, right out of the gate in Flushing Meadows. Get ready!
Sisters’ Comeback: Shaking Off the Rust
Look, it hasn’t been an easy road back for the legendary Williams sisters as a doubles pair. Before this U.S. Open, their most recent match together was at the Cincinnati Open, where they unfortunately fell in the first round to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. And get this: that Cincinnati match was their *first time playing together since the 2022 U.S. Open!* Talk about a long layoff. An injury to Serena herself kept them from even competing at Wimbledon this season, which was a huge bummer for fans who love to see them dominate.
Venus herself gave us some insight into their mindset after that Cincinnati outing. She said, “I think we give each other so much grace and encouragement. This is our first time playing together in forever, and I think we’re really getting our stride for sure so that was great for us to get out there and do it.” You can hear the determination in that quote, right? They’re shaking off the rust, they’re building that rhythm, and they’re doing it with encouragement. This isn’t a farewell tour; it’s a mission to rediscover that winning connection.
And Serena’s been keeping busy, too, even without Venus. She teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz in the U.S. Open mixed doubles event. They showed some serious grit, pulling off a win against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool. Their run eventually ended in the quarterfinals, where they lost to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, but it proves Serena’s been getting those crucial doubles reps in on the big stage.
These Opponents Are No Easy Out
Now, let’s talk about the competition. Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan are not here to play nice, folks. This isn’t some warm-up for Serena and Venus. Joint and Chan have been absolutely crushing it on the circuit this year. They advanced all the way to the quarterfinals at the Cincinnati Open, showing they can hang with the best. Plus, they reached the final of the Memphis Classic earlier in the season. That’s some serious momentum they’re bringing into the U.S. Open.
And Hao-Ching Chan? She’s an absolute veteran in the doubles game. This isn’t her first rodeo at the U.S. Open. She made it to the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Open when she teamed up with Veronika Kudermetova. And let’s not forget, she was a runner-up in women’s doubles at Wimbledon way back in 2017. Her experience alone makes this a super tough draw for the Williams sisters right away.
The Williams sisters have a mind-boggling 14 Grand Slam doubles titles to their name, including two at the U.S. Open. They are legends, no doubt. But with Joint and Chan’s recent form and Chan’s deep experience, Serena and Venus are going to need every ounce of that legendary power to advance. This first-round match is going to be a battle, a real test of whether they’ve truly found that championship stride again. You definitely don’t want to miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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