The result hardly seemed to matter.
Playing together for the first time since 2022, Serena and Venus Williams returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday night for what was probably the most hyped first-round Grand Slam doubles match in history.
The legendary sisters ultimately fell to No. 14 seeds Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching, who played valiantly in a 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(7) victory that lasted three hours and two minutes.
The two-time US Open champions and 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions were greeted by thunderous applause from a packed house, and the incredible ambiance only grew as the night went on.
The sisters started well enough but dropped the final three games of the opening set. In the second, they battled through a razor-thin contest, finally converting their fifth set point in the tiebreak as the crowd roared its approval at seemingly every positive turn.
Then came a wild third set.
Serena and Venus rallied from 4-1 down and had three break points at 4-4 that could have put them in position to serve for the match. After those chances slipped away, they raced to a 5-0 advantage in the deciding match tiebreak, only to see that lead disappear as Joint and Chan completed the comeback.
Still, the lasting memory won’t be the loss.
At 44 and 46, Serena and Venus — 14-time major doubles champions who also won three Olympic doubles gold medals together — gave Arthur Ashe Stadium another magical night.
For those lucky enough to fill the stands, it was unforgettable. Years from now, they’ll still be able to say they saw the Williams sisters play together at the US Open.
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