Credit: Instagram/@venuswilliams, @leylahannietenis
NEW YORK — Filipino Canadian tennis star Leylah Annie Fernandez and legendary Venus Williams began their 2025 US Open women’s doubles campaign in style, defeating the sixth-seeded team of Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Ellen Perez of Australia in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-3, on Thursday, August 28.
The wildcard pairing advanced to the second round, adding another highlight to Fernandez’s growing profile at Flushing Meadows.
A bold beginning for a cross-generational duo
The 22-year-old Fernandez blended her speed, touch, and tactical creativity with the veteran poise of Williams, 45, to pull off the upset. Their opening set was a tense affair, with the duo clinching the tiebreak 7-4 before surging through the second set to secure victory.
“Growing up, when I first started playing tennis, people asked me, ‘Who did you watch when you were growing up?’ I always said Justine Henin and the Williams sisters,” Fernandez said. “I see a lot of similarities between their family and my family. They kind of built the path for us, and if I do have the opportunity to play against her, I’m just gonna be super happy, a little kid living her dream and playing one of her idols.”
Momentum carries over
Fernandez’s summer resurgence, capped by her singles breakthrough at the Mubadala Citi DC Open where she won her first WTA 500 title, now extends to doubles alongside one of her idols. She is also through to the third round of the singles draw, where she will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Venus’ continued fight
For Williams, whose singles campaign ended in a dramatic three-set battle against Karolina Muchova earlier this week, the doubles victory underscores her enduring presence at Flushing Meadows in her 25th US Open appearance. A former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, she has captured 14 women’s doubles majors in her career—most of them alongside her sister Serena.
