Published: 04:53 BST, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 05:27 BST, 18 August 2026
The reunion of the Williams sisters on the doubles court was short lived in Cincinnati as the three-time Olympic doubles gold medalists were bounced in the first round.
Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, drew a crowd at the Cincinnati Open for their first match together since the 2022 US Open.
However, their run was unproductive as they fell to the tandem of Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk, 2-6, 6-1, 0-1 (8-10).
The sisters were bounced after fighting back to a 9-8 tiebreak, only for Venus to double-fault on what proved to be the final serve of the evening.
It's the first time the pair played in a non-Grand Slam doubles event in a decade, last competing in such an event at the 2016 Italian Open.
The 14-time Grand Slam-winning duo walked off the court to applause just weeks before they potentially turn their attention to Flushing Meadows and the US Open.
Serena (L) and Venus (R) Williams fell in the first round of doubles at the Cincinnati Open
They fell to Marta Kostyk (L) and Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns (R) in a tiebreak
The duo were applauded off after playing their first non-Grand Slam doubles since 2016
After forcing the match tiebreaker, the Williams sisters found themselves down 6-0 but ultimately fought back.
They worked their way within two points of victory before Venus double-faulted with a serve into the net.
The pair – which claimed gold in doubles together at the London Olympics – lost to Kostyuk and Stearns, who are playing in their first tournament together. Stearns, a Cincinnati native, experienced victory on her home court.
The Williams sisters were planning to play together at Wimbledon, but were forced to withdraw when Serena injured her knee while playing in her first singles Grand Slam singles match since 2022.
'Eventually we would find our way to each other,' the 46-year-old Venus said about the decision to play doubles again.
