By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 17, 2026
Photo credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook
Cincinnati was rocking as the Williams sisters staged a revival in their doubles reunion
A soaring Serena Williams threw down a smash saving a match point and sending Grandstand fans to their feet roaring in support.
Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns stifled the sisters’ comeback.
Venus Williams double faulted into net ending a thrilling 6-2, 1-6, 10-8 victory for Kostyuk and Stearns over the legendary Williams sisters at the Cincinnati Open tonight.
The 46-year-old Venus and 44-year-old Serena, playing together for the first time since their 2022 US Open first-round loss, were outgunned in the opening set, dynamic in the second set and staged a tiebreaker comeback that fell short.
“I thought it was fun. I thought it was special,” Serena said. “We kicked off a little rust in the middle of a match. We were starting to feel it – it was really fun. It was really cool to be able to do this again.”
Fans stood and gave the Williams sisters a rousing standing ovation sendoff as they walked off Grandstand Court waving to the crowd.
Serena, who returned to the singles stage at Wimbledon, playing her first match at a major since the 2022 US Open, says the rehab she has had to go through since injuring her knee in her first-round loss to Maya Joint hasn’t exactly been easy.
“It’s been a long recovery, which is something I never thought I’d say, because I never thought I’d be here, sitting talking to you all again,” Serena said. “But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Venus and Serena Williams, a dominant force posting a 14-0 record in major doubles finals, brought electric expectation to this reunion match on Grandstand.
Madrid Open champion Kostyuk was the best player on court for sustained stretches of the match, but Serena Williams dialed in her damaging first serve as the second set progressed to apply pressure.
Initially, Serena Williams double faulted away the break in the third game.
Kostyuk carved an ace out wide holding at 15 to confirm the break for 3-1.
Trying to shake off the rust of inactivity, Serena Williams was sometimes a half-step slow reacting in the front court. Poaching left, Serena swatted a swing volley long as Kostyuk and Stearns broke Venus Williams for a 4-1 lead after 16 minutes.
Former No. 1 Serena showed flashes of her once dominant serving form firing an ace out wide in holding for 2-5 after 25 minutes.
Serving for the set, Kostyuk saved two break points. In No Ad scoring, the decisive point went to Serena on the Ad side.
Reaching up, Kostyuk cracked an ace wide past a lunging Serena to seal the opener in a half hour.
Elevating, Serena Williams whipped a sharp backhand return then blitzed a backhand down the line Kostyuk could not control as the Williams sisters broke Stearns for a 2-0 lead.
Serena Williams threw down a strong hold at 15 extending to 3-0. The sisters were hammering their groundstrokes as they broke for 5-1. Serena Williams served out the set to force the 10-point super tiebreaker.
Hometown hero Stearns challenged Serena Williams with a down the line drive coaxing a netted volley for 2-0. Kostyuk made a slick half-volley pick up then snapped a smash that split the sisters for 5-0.
A leaping Serena Williams soared for a smash of her own only to see Kostyuk flick a reply down the middle extending the lead to 6-0.
Seemingly down and out the sisters rallied to win seven of the next nine points. Serena Williams whipped successive wide serves cutting the gap to 7-8.
Roland Garros semifinalist Kostyuk poached for a backhand volley for two match points. Serena Williams slammed the smash to save the first before Venus Williams’ double fault into net ended a thriller.
This reunion could well be a prelude to the Williams sisters reuniting for doubles at the US Open.
The sisters were not asked directly if they intended to play the US Open together, but based on Serena’s words about how her comeback probably won’t last too long, one could easily deduce that they do plan to play.
“I think this time I’m enjoying the process a little bit more than I ever have,” Serena said. “It’s kind of just having a different view of it. And it’s also like, this isn’t forever. This is like, not long. So it’s also just fun to know that too. I’m not playing every week, I’m not showing up every week, I have kids, so it’s a little bit different.”
The Williams sisters won US Open doubles championships in 1999 and 2009. Venus and Serena Williams have each won four Olympic gold medals as well.
The 2028 Los Angeles games might be a stretch, but the fact that Serena and Venus are once again together – and competitive – is more than enough for the moment.
“We waited a long time to get back on the doubles court, even this year,” Venus said, adding: “I think eventually we would find our way to each other.”
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