Venus Williams will keep playing after US Open doubles exit
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Venus Williams of the US and Leylah Fernandez of Canada in action in the quarterfinal of the women’s doubles.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK – Venus Williams said she plans to keep playing tennis after exiting the US Open women’s doubles with partner Leylah Fernandez on Sept 2.
The 45-year-old and Fernandez, 22, saw their doubles dream halted in the quarter-finals with a 6-1, 6-2 loss to top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.
Williams, who returned to tennis only in July after a 16-month absence from the sport, expressed satisfaction at her performances in New York. The seven-time Grand Slam singles winner said she intends to keep playing for the foreseeable future, opportunities permitting.
“If there is opportunity for me to play, then hopefully I can get back somewhere this year,” said the American, who received wild cards into the singles, doubles and mixed doubles draws at Flushing Meadows.
“What I’m proudest of is it’s not easy to come off the bench... I have never had a layoff that long. It brought new challenges that I wasn’t ready for in so many ways.”
Asked if her recent comeback performances following her health concerns had helped her fall back in love with tennis, she replied: “I was never out of love with the game. I never had to think about if I loved the game. I was always playing, so it’s part of my DNA. But clearly to be out here grinding at this point, there has to be a little love, right?”
Despite her loss, Williams once again took the headlines for her style and substance on the court.
She wore a pleated-and-collared, all-white kit for her singles first-round match, a nod to trailblazer Althea Gibson, that earned raves – as did her valiant display in the 3-6, 6-2, 1-6 defeat by 11th seed Karolina Muchova.
In the women’s doubles, she wore a mesh-layered kit with an embellished trim and, later, a dress reportedly custom designed by high-fashion brand Pucci.
Her on-court attire garnering attention from publications like Vogue and InStyle, more than a quarter-century after she and sister Serena changed tennis’ fashion game, was a testament to her enduring influence.
“For me, what you wear is just a reflection of who you are and being able to express myself on the court,” said Williams. “It’s a lot of fun when you wear something you feel good in.”
Earlier in 2025, she brought the tennis and fashion worlds together when she became the first to wear Lacoste on the red carpet at the iconic Met Gala.
“It doesn’t matter what that is, as long as you feel good in it. So I got to do that,” added Williams. “If it was fashionable, thank you for that.” AFP, REUTERS
