Sister Stardom: A Complete Analysis of the Williams Sisters' Comeback at the US Open

Last night, Venus and Serena Williams stepped out into Arthur Ashe Stadium for a first round doubles match, marking the first time the legendary sister duo has made an appearance on this court in four years. Slotted right in at 7pm Primetime, 46-year-old Venus and 44-year-old Serena returned to the US Open for their 231st match together as partners, reuniting a pairing that has won 14 major trophies, including two here in Queens. The duo is back on the courts after Serena, a 23-time singles grand slam champion, returned to the sport after four years of inactivity. The two were set to make their 2026 debut in doubles back at Wimbledon, but a knee injury for Serena prevented the highly-anticipated comeback. They did compete in one key US Open tune-up event, the Cincinnati Open, in which they lost in a final set tiebreak in the first round. So, this match was sure to generate a lot of buzz, and hopefully answer more questions surrounding the duo and their expectations than raise. 

Up against 14th seeds Maya Joint and Hao-ching "Angel" Chan, the Williams sisters had quite a tough challenge ahead. Chan, a Wimbledon finalist and 23-time WTA titlist, is an exceptionally talented doubles tactician with a high tennis IQ and sharp reactions. Her partner, 20-year-old Joint, brings a key combination of aggressive baseline play and speed, making them an excellent pairing. The two have competed together throughout the summer, with a successful run coming in Memphis where they reached the final, though they still are a relatively new partnership. It takes time for a team to build camaraderie, trust, and develop an innate sense of communication. There's probably no better partner than one you spent learning the game with and competing against and with for years on the professional tour, and that was the first thing that stood out to me about the Williams sisters' performance last night. They know when they need to trust each other with shots, or go for the poach at the net, or how much court to allocate to each other. Despite four years of no professional appearances together, this element was clearly not lost. 

Above: Venus Williams in action practicing during Fan Week. Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA.

In the first set, Chan and Joint didn't exactly dominate---rather, they played with crafty technique to open up the court and find the angles needed to win. Neither Joint nor Chan possess particularly big service games, with some of Chan's second serves dropping into the low 60 MPH range. Both of the Williams sisters recognized that early on, and weren't afraid to take a few steps into the court when returning to try to get the early aggressive edge in the point. It seemed to take a while for the Williams' to get going---many returns went astray, and they seemed to not be able to sink their teeth into points so well. But when they got a good return in, or started things off with a well placed serve, the point typically went one of two ways. Many of the points the Williams' were winning involved a charge to the net while incorporating swinging volleys and strong offensive tactics. On the other hand, Chan and Joint looked to mix the points up. They did a good job of keeping the ball away from the net player, moving their opponent at the baseline around, tempting them in with a weaker slice or an approach, and utilizing the lob to create open space. This worked a lot of the time, and it didn't help that the statistics coming from the other side of the net weren't so high: first serve percentage in stats hovered below 50% throughout the set, and many returns were simply not coming back. This aided Chan and Joint on their way to two crucial breaks of serve, and they won the first set, 6-3. 

By the time the second set got going, it was clear that the Williams sisters were revving up. Points lasted longer. Balls that were previously too far to reach were now chased down. The net player stayed active and eager, looking for any way to poach and finish the point quickly. The baseline player stayed consistent in rallies, making more serves and returns in while clawing it out in grueling rallies. For Serena especially, she had the speed: her serves were firing down faster than any other player on the court, but she wasn't necessarily hitting her targets in the first set. With even just 5 MPH taken off her serve speed beginning in the second set, it was easier for her to place the ball where she wanted and gain the immediate edge in service points. This strategy worked. The two teams held even through to a tiebreak, which the Williams sisters won with a nail-biting score of eight points to six. Unlike standard WTA format which calls for a ten-point tiebreak to seal the deal, it was time to settle this in the ultimate fashion: a full on final set. 

Above: Venus Williams and Serena Williams at the 2026 US Open. Photo by Tyler McFarland/USTA.

What I was perhaps most impressed by in the final set was Venus Williams's baseline abilities and Angel Chan's net play. Williams and Joint entered some pretty intense back-and-forth's, and Williams didn't play with any hesitation. She didn't always take the safer option: sometimes she would go for the net player, or try to hit past her baseline opponent from ridiculous spots on the court. Sometimes it didn't work---she'd miss. But a lot of the time she was able to find the power and placement, and the result was absolutely thrilling. She played with a competitive edge that delighted the overstuffed stadium, and there was no holding back---she gave everything she could from the baseline. Chan, on the other hand, wasn't flashy with the way she went about finishing points. Despite little cheers for her and her partner, she stayed hyper focused on what she could control: when Joint set the point up with an opportunity for Chan to put the volley away, she did just that. There were several occasions where net cords or untimely bounces got in her way, but the reaction time was there and she was able to make incredible adjustments. 

Despite being down 1-4 in games, the Williams/Williams fought back and the two entered a tiebreak. The American duo jumped up to a 5-0 lead, and with the whole crowd on their side, it seemed to be getting a bit to Chan and Joint. When Joint pulled her cap over her eyes and Chan missed an easy put-away, I thought the match was decided. But I was wrong. Chan/Joint won six of the next seven points, and leveled the score a 6-6. 7-6, Chan/Joint. 7-7. 8-7, Chan/Joint. 9-7. And there it was. The 14th seeds won the match in a riveting fashion, 10-7 in points. While the crowd certainly weren't treated with what they wanted, it was evidently a happy moment for everybody: Chan and Joint received the applause they deserved while the Williams sisters walked off with big smiles on their faces and gracious waves to the crowd. 

So, what does that mean for these two? I was initially hesitant about their ability to perform at the beginning of the match. This isn't a criticism by any means---the human body isn't built for this level of competition and physical exertion when you're 44 let alone 46. While the movement may have been more of an issue in the first set, age was not a factor in the remainder of the match. They were able to cover the court well, execute a strong strategy, and play the longest women's doubles match of the tournament so far at three hours and two minutes. I do think that Chan and Joint deserved the win, and I can't say that it could have gone either way. But I do think that this was an impressive performance on the Williams sisters' part, and with this level of play I don't doubt that they will be able to pick up wins in the future. While they've shown that age is just a number, the tennis world should be grateful to see these two legends still out there competing and giving their all, and above all else for many fans, it's nice to see their smiles back on court. Let's enjoy this chapter while it lasts. 

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Written by Florida Tennis contributor Will Turvey.

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