Photo source @leylahannietennis instagram
NEW YORK — On Saturday afternoon, Venus Williams reminded the tennis world of her enduring brilliance. The 45-year-old former world No. 1, playing alongside Canadian star Leylah Fernandez, advanced to the third round of the 2025 US Open women’s doubles after a commanding straight-sets victory in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Williams and Fernandez defeated Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway and Eri Hozumi of Japan, 7–6 (7–1), 6–1, demonstrating composure under pressure in the first set and dominance in the second. Entering the event as unseeded wild cards, they have quickly become one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines.
A first-set breakthrough
The first set was tightly contested, with both pairs holding serve until the tiebreak. Williams and Fernandez then shifted gears, sweeping the breaker 7–1 through aggressive net play from Williams and precision from the baseline by Fernandez. Riding that momentum, they broke serve early in the second set and never looked back, closing out the match in just over 90 minutes.
Milestones and context
- For Venus Williams, this is her first US Open doubles run beyond the second round since 2014, and her first Grand Slam doubles victories since the 2018 French Open. At 45, she is also the oldest singles main-draw competitor at the US Open since 1981.
- For Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open singles finalist, the partnership pairs her youth and speed with Williams’s veteran presence. Fernandez also competed in singles this week, exiting in the third round against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
After their Round 1 upset of No. 6 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez, Williams described Fernandez as “the best partner I’ve had outside of Serena”, a notable remark given her decorated doubles career with her sister. Fernandez, in turn, has praised Williams’s steady leadership and ability to inspire calm during high-pressure moments.
The road ahead
The pair’s Round 2 win sends them into the third round of the women’s doubles draw, where they await their next opponents. With back-to-back victories over higher-ranked competition, the wild-card duo has become a dark-horse threat in New York.
