The Williams sisters' return to doubles play at the Cincinnati Open was short-lived, as Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, were eliminated in the first round on August 17, 2026. The three-time Olympic gold medalists reunited on court for the first time in four years, drawing a significant crowd, but ultimately fell to the pairing of Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk with a score of 2-6, 6-1, 0-1 (8-10).
After fighting back to force a match tiebreak, the sisters were unable to secure the win. Venus double-faulted on what proved to be the final point of the match. This marked the first time the sisters competed in a non-Grand Slam doubles event in ten years, their last being the 2016 Italian Open.
The 14-time Grand Slam-winning duo received applause as they left the court. Their appearance comes just weeks before the US Open begins on August 31, though Serena has not yet revealed her plans for the singles tournament.
The sisters had planned to play together at Wimbledon but were forced to withdraw when Serena sustained a knee injury during her first Grand Slam singles match since 2022. "Eventually we would find our way to each other," Venus had said regarding their decision to play doubles again. "It's our first time playing together in forever. It was great for us to get out there and do it."
Together, the Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including multiple championships at Roland Garros, the US Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon. They also secured Olympic gold medals in doubles in 2000, 2008, and 2012.