Venus Williams kept her 2025 US Open campaign alive in doubles, teaming with 22-year-old Leylah Fernandez to reach the Round of 16 after a straight-sets win over Eri Hozumi and Ulrikke Eikeri, 7(7)-6(1), 6-1.
The veteran and the rising Canadian looked every bit a cohesive unit, overcoming an early hole in the first set as Hozumi and Eikeri grabbed an early lead. Williams and Fernandez rallied from 4-2 down, forcing a tiebreak that swung in their favor, and then rolled in the second set for a commanding victory. After the match, Fernandez teased Williams with her signature twirl-wave, a moment that drew the crowd into the moment before Fernandez also greeted the fans.
Williams and Fernandez previously upset the No. 6 doubles seed Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez in straight sets, 7(7)-6(4), 6-3, to advance to the Round of 16. They will now face the winner of the Zhang Shuai/Ekaterina Alexandrova (the No. 12 seed) vs. Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter clash. That match was set for Sunday.
What this run means for Williams is significant. She returned to the tour this year after more than a year away, highlighted by wins in both singles and doubles at the Washington Open. Those Washington wins marked her first in nearly two years and led to a wild-card invitation to the US Open, where she pushed No. 11 seed Karolína Muchová to a deciding set in singles before tiring down the stretch. While her singles results have been modest in recent years—she hasn’t reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam since 2017—her doubles work has provided a meaningful counterbalance and a potential avenue for continued Grand Slam success.
Doubles has not been Williams’ primary focus in recent years, and she has rarely partnered with players outside of her sister Serena. Fernandez, by contrast, is an up-and-coming force in doubles; this year she and American Taylor Townsend reached the French Open final and the US Open quarterfinals in 2023, underscoring Fernandez’s growing prowess on the doubles court. Williams and Fernandez are, in many ways, a bridge between Williams’ storied past and Fernandez’s bright future.
Valuable context for readers: Williams’ most successful doubles run to date remains the 2016 Wimbledon title with Serena Williams, and the 2018 French Open third-round finish with Serena is the closest Williams has come to a major doubles return since then. The current run at the US Open marks only the fourth time Williams has competed in a major doubles draw since 2016, underscoring how far she has come in balancing her long-standing love for doubles with her ongoing singles odyssey.
Summary: Williams and Fernandez’s progress at the 2025 US Open highlights a compelling partnership that blends veteran savvy with rising momentum in doubles, delivering a hopeful storyline for Williams’ ongoing major journey and Fernandez’s continued ascent.
Additional notes and value adds:
– Watch for Williams’ experience to help guide Fernandez through pressure points in tied sets, a dynamic that could yield more upset chances as the tournament progresses.
– If the pair can continue their current level, they could become a recurring and dangerous doubles pairing at Grand Slams, providing inspiration for players balancing longevity with rising talent.