MY ACCOUNT
Venus Williams says she is “focused” on her US Open women’s doubles pairing with sister Serena following her first round exit to Alison Van Uytvanck on Tuesday, adding that she couldn’t turn down “the boss” one more time.
The seven-time grand slam singles champion saw her solo stint at Flushing Meadows come to an early end following a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) straight sets loss to the Belgian at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Following younger sister Serena’s announcement earlier this year that she intended to step back from top-level tennis following the conclusion of the final tennis major of the year, many had wondered if Venus would follow suit.
But speaking after her defeat, Williams eschewed questions on her future, simply stating: “Right now, I’m just focused on the doubles.”
The return of the Williams sister pairing – the only duo to have won the Career Golden Slam in women’s doubles – has added a further degree of excitement to Serena’s farewell tour.
When asked how their on-court reunion came about, Venus stated it was her sibling who got the ball rolling, adding: “It was Serena’s idea.
“She’s the boss, so I do whatever she tells me to do! I don’t think we have played since 2016, but I might be getting that wrong. We have had some great wins. It would be nice to add some more.”
Former world number one Williams made her 91st grand slam main draw singles appearance with her match against Van Uytvanck, a record for both the men’s and women’s game.
It is a testament to her longevity that 58 players in the main draw had not been born when she made her grand slam debut at the 1996 French Open – including this year’s Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who also suffered a first round loss to the unseeded Clara Burel.
