By Erik Gudris | Friday, August 29, 2025
Photo Credit: Mike Stone/Getty
Venus Williams She finds herself extending her stay in New York thanks to a last -minute phone call.
Great all time continues to play in this year’s US Open after she and Canada Leylah Fernandez accepted a wild postcard in the equalizer of women’s doubles.
Playing for the first time ever, they enjoyed a winning debut while disturbing seeds No. 6 Lyudmyla kichenok of ukraine and Ellen Perez of Australia 7-6 (4), 6-3 to reach the second round in a stadium full of Louis Armstrong.
After the victory, Williams praised the double skills of her new partner and raised high praise against the 22-year-old Canadian who was the finalist of the US Open bachelors in 2021.
“(She is) the best partner I have ever played with – off Serena.” Williams revealed in her post -match interview.
Fernandez, who after the match, joined the crowd applause while Williams made her signature victory in court, was amazed at the news.
“I was shocked (laughing),” Fernandez said later at their press conference. “It was like perhaps the biggest compliment I have ever received, so thank you, Venus. Oh, man. I feel like they are big shoes to fill at the moment. But no, I’m just very happy. I think it’s just another opportunity for me to improve as a tennis and just continue to improve.”
Williams, 45, has won 14 top doubles titles with her sister Serena Williams. Although Williams had not planned to play women’s doubles at this year’s US Open, she changed her mind after receiving a night call from the Fernandez team, asking if she would join Canadian.
“I was like a kid on Christmas Day just jumping around. I was so happy. I don’t think I stopped smiling all night and even in the morning. I was just super happy and excited,” Fernandez said. “I’m just glad we had the opportunity to play together and move on to the next round.”
Williams, despite all her success in the doubles, confessed that she does not see herself as good in the double.
“I always tell people.
To be honest, it is an area that I am not so comfortable to be in the Court Court, but I think you get to a point in the match where you stop thinking about it, and then you just the area. “
While the two admitted that they went into the match without any real strategies, Williams felt like her experience and Fernandez’s talent would suit them both.
“I’m used to being the big sister, so I’m a kind, how, asking her what she wants. It is important for her to feel comfortable,” Williams said. “Theoretically I have more experience, but it has played a lot more matches, so maybe it makes us neck and neck, as far as we can compete. But I think we just have to see what happened, or not, because you never know what will happen in a match and you have to fix it. Once we just get my foot.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsmir9c4tbg
Williams, who has been away from the tournament for 16 months, returned to the competition this summer in Washington, DC before playing later in Cincinnati. Williams played in both bachelors, losing in the first round at 11 seeds Carolina in the civilianand in doubles mixed with Reilly Opelka In this year’s US Open. This is the first time she has played in all three events in a major since Wimbledon in 1998.
“With the amount of matches I played, I’m progressing very quickly,” Williams said. “I didn’t have to go back to play tennis, but eventually I found my way.”
Williams and Fernandez the next face Ulcer of Norway and Various Hozum of Japan in the next round.
