Overview
- Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez beat Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi 7-6 (1), 6-1 on Saturday to advance to the U.S. Open women’s doubles third round.
- The new duo opened their run by upsetting sixth seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the first round.
- The victories include Williams’ first U.S. Open women’s doubles win since 2014 and her first major doubles win since the 2018 French Open.
- Playing together for the first time on a wild card, the 45-year-old American and 22-year-old Canadian have drawn raucous Louis Armstrong Stadium support, complete with Williams’ signature twirl-and-wave.
- Williams returned in July after a 16-month layoff and praised Fernandez as her best partner outside of Serena, highlighting their shared determination and energy.