Williams sisters debut doubles comeback at Cincinnati, fall in tight match

Serena and Venus Williams teamed up for their first doubles outing at a non-major event since the 2016 Italian Open, receiving a wild-card entry at the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio. They faced Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and local favorite Peyton Stearns, losing 2-6, 6-1, (10-8) after a dramatic match tiebreak. The sisters overcame a 6-0 deficit in the tiebreak, narrowing the gap to 9-8 before a double-fault by Venus sealed the defeat.

Both players emphasized the enjoyment of playing together again, noting they were not there to win the tournament but to have fun. Kostyuk and Stearns, playing their first event as a team, used the hometown crowd to their advantage. The match was part of a broader day that saw Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev win their respective matches.