US Open 2025: Venus Williams, Leylah Fernandez Enter Doubles Quarterfinals

Last Updated:September 02, 2025, 12:21 IST

Venus Williams returned at the end of July at the Washington Open after a sixteen-month hiatus from the WTA Tour.

Leylah Fernandez (left) and Venus Williams celebrate after entering quarters. (AP Photo)

Venus Williams extended her stay at the US Open on Monday by partnering with Leylah Fernandez to reach her first Grand Slam doubles quarterfinal in nearly a decade. The 45-year-old American tennis legend and Fernandez, who was born three years after Williams secured her first of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles in 1999, triumphed over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova and China’s Zhang Shuai with scores of 6-3, 6-4.

This marks Williams’s first appearance in a Grand Slam doubles quarterfinal since 2016.

Williams is competing in the doubles after receiving a last-minute invitation from US Open organisers to participate in the tournament she won twice with her younger sister Serena.

Williams later disclosed that her retired sister Serena was “coaching from afar" as she advanced through the doubles, and had called her earlier on Monday.

“She gave me a pep talk and made sure to call me today," Williams said. “I was, like, ‘You’re right. I got it. I got it.’

“She’s definitely coaching from afar. She’s so excited. She gets so nervous watching, and she’s got the kids watching. They’re all at home, just really on our side."

During her on-court interview after the victory, Venus encouraged Serena to come to New York to attend her quarterfinal match in person.

“If she came, it would be a dream for both of us and we’d have her on the court coaching," Williams joked. “We’d force her to hit, even though she doesn’t hit often. It’s probably best she doesn’t come because we’d probably bully her."

The Williams-Fernandez duo could face top seeds Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and American Taylor Townsend in the quarterfinals.

Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams returned to competition at the end of July at the Washington Open after a sixteen-month hiatus from the WTA Tour.

She mentioned after her singles defeat that the US Open would likely be her final tournament of the season.

Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...Read More

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...

Read More

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New York, United States of America (USA)

First Published:

September 02, 2025, 12:21 IST

News sports US Open 2025: Venus Williams, Leylah Fernandez Enter Doubles Quarterfinals

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