US Open: In First Round Of Doubles, The Williams Sisters Lose
After losing in the US Open, Serena Williams and her sister Venus will not be leaving with a last grand slam doubles title.
Four years after their final grand slam performance as a team and six years after winning the most recent of their 14 victories, the sisters decided to give it one last go.
However, the old magic was not quite there, as they were defeated by the Czech team of Lucie Hradecka, 37, and Linda Noskova, 17, in a 6(5)-7 4-6 defeat.
The match unquestionably marked Arthur Ashe Stadium’s first-ever opening-round doubles match to start a night session.
When Serena and Venus’s doubles match was revealed, it appeared the former’s final match might be this one.
However, this competition took on a slightly different tone as a result of her singles success.
Serena once again displayed a strong competitive desire and appeared quick from the back of the court and at the net.
Hradecka threaded a beautiful pass down the line on set point to near silence, but Noskova and Hradecka managed to hold on and then grasp their opportunity in the tie-break.
Against her fellow veterans, she was starting to emerge as the major figure.
Serena and Venus recovered from an early break to tie the match at 4-4, but a break of Serena’s serve ended the match.
Serena will now focus completely on attempting to win her remaining singles match, where she will play Australian Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday. (DPA/NAN)
