Serena, Venus Williams lose in 1st round of US Open doubles
Serena and Venus Williams traded fist bumps or palm slaps and chatted between points. They smiled while conversing in their seats at changeovers.
When their first doubles match together in 4 1/2 years ended with a loss at the U.S Open on Thursday night, the siblings hugged each other, then left the court to a standing ovation.
The Williams sisters were eliminated by the Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova 7-6 (5), 6-4 at Flushing Meadows.
"I was speechless when I found out I'm going to face these two. I mean, they're legends. And I was always such a big fan of them, especially Serena. She has been my idol since ever, probably," said Noskova, a 17-year-old making her Grand Slam debut in doubles. "So I was really happy, excited, but kind of scared, to face them."
Arthur Ashe Stadium had never hosted a first-round doubles match -- for women or men, during the night or day -- until this one featuring two members of one family who have combined to claim 14 Grand Slam titles in doubles.
"It's something incredible, because playing first round in a huge stadium, with 23,000 people, is something amazing," said the 37-year-old Hradecka, who won major doubles trophies with Andrea Hlavackova at the 2013 U.S. Open and 2011 French Open. "I don't think (when) we played the final here, it was packed like this."
The Williams sisters, who did not do interviews after the match, were partnering up for the first time since the 2018 French Open. According to the WTA, this was just their second first-round doubles defeat at a Slam; the only other one came all the way back at the 1997 U.S. Open.
"I'm still in shock that we won," Hradecka said in an on-court interview right after the match's conclusion.
Speaking to the sellout crowd of 23,859, she said: "I'm so sorry for you that we beat them, but we are so happy that we did it."
The fans were not nearly as boisterous as they were for each of the two victories in singles this week for Serena, who has hinted that this will be the final event of her career.
Serena plays Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday night in the third round of singles; Venus was bounced from that bracket in the first round.
After a rather subdued entrance from the locker room by Hradecka and Noskova, who were competing as a team for the first time, a video tribute to the Williams-Williams pairing played on the Ashe videoboards, with a narrator introducing "two of the greatest athletes on Planet Earth" and, in a reference to Serena's looming retirement, saying, "It's not too late to change your mind."
There was footage of them through the years, including as kids with white beads in their hair (like Serena's daughter, Olympia, wore on opening night) and, later, winning titles.
Olympia, who turned 5 on Thursday, was not there for this one, Serena's husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian was, as were the sisters' mother, Oracene Price, and their sister, Isha.
During the pre-match warmup, the announcer noted that the sisters are 14-0 in Grand Slam doubles finals and declared: "They've transformed and elevated the sport as we know it."
The spectators saved their biggest cheers for some of Serena's best efforts, whether aces or putaways or an on-the-run forehand winner. The sisters went up 5-4 early and held two set points there on Noskova's serve, but could not convert either.
The loudest moment probably arrived after a 19-stroke point won by the sisters during the first-set tiebreaker, featuring three swinging volleys by Serena. That put them ahead 4-3, and soon it was 5-3.
But Hradecka and Noskova grabbed the next four points to claim that set. They then jumped ahead 3-0 in the second, and after the Williams sisters made it 4-all, the Czech team pulled away.
The Williams siblings received a wild-card entry into this year's doubles field. Serena, who turns 41 next month, and Venus, who turned 42 in June, won doubles trophies at the U.S. Open in 1999 -- the year Serena won her first major singles trophy at age 17 in New York -- and 2009.
They have a total of 30 major trophies in singles: 23 for Serena, seven for Venus.
"Playing against the Williams sisters," Noskova said, "is a special moment for everybody."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestion
Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Man handed 5th distracted driving charge for using cell phone on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
An Ottawa driver was charged for using a cell phone behind the wheel on Sunday, the fifth time he has faced distracted driving charges.
Wrongfully convicted N.B. man has mixed feelings since exoneration
Robert Mailman, 76, was exonerated on Jan. 4 of a 1983 murder for which he and his friend Walter Gillespie served lengthy prison terms.
What's open and closed over the holidays in Canada
As Canadians take time off to celebrate the holidays, many federal offices, stores and businesses will be closed across the country on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Can the Governor General do what Pierre Poilievre is asking? This expert says no
A historically difficult week for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government ended with a renewed push from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to topple this government – this time in the form a letter to the Governor General.
opinion Christmas movies for people who don't like Christmas movies
The holidays can bring up a whole gamut of emotions, not just love and goodwill. So CTV film critic Richard Crouse offers up a list of Christmas movies for people who might not enjoy traditional Christmas movies.
More than 7,000 Jeep SUVs recalled in Canada over camera display concern
A software issue potentially affecting the rearview camera display in select Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee models has prompted a recall of more than 7,000 vehicles.
'I'm still thinking pinch me': lost puppy reunited with family after five years
After almost five years of searching and never giving up hope, the Tuffin family received the best Christmas gift they could have hoped for: being reunited with their long-lost puppy.
10 hospitalized after carbon monoxide poisoning in Ottawa's east end
The Ottawa Police Service says ten people were taken to hospital, with one of them in life-threatening condition, after being exposed to carbon monoxide in the neighbourhood of Vanier on Sunday morning.
Local Spotlight
Willistead Manor celebrates the Christmas season in style, with only two weekends left to visit
From the Great Hall to the staircase and landings, to the conservatory – hundreds of people have toured the Willistead Manor this December.
Music maker, 88, creates unique horn section, with moose antler bass guitar and cello
Eighty-eight-year-old Lorne Collie has been making musical instruments for more than three decades, creations that dazzle for their unique materials as much as their sound.
Promise of high-level hockey comes at a cost for prep school players at Circle K Classic
Calgary is set to host the Circle K Classic, welcoming some high-end talent and pricey prep schools for the annual U18 AAA hockey tournament.
School custodian stages surprise for Kitchener, Ont. students ahead of holiday break
He’s no Elf on the Shelf, but maybe closer to Ward of the Board.
'Theodore Too' refloated after partial sinking in St. Catharines
The life-size replica of Theodore Tugboat, Theodore TOO, is upright again after suffering a partial sinking Tuesday.
Appeal dismissed in Sask. 'thumbs up' emoji case
An appeal to a legal case that made international headlines has been dismissed by Saskatchewan's highest court.
B.C. man drops camera into ocean, accidentally captures 'breathtaking' whale video
Before it turned into an extraordinary day, Peter Mieras says it began being quite ordinary.
Freezing rain turns streets into skating rinks, literally in this Sask. community
They say the world is your oyster, and the streets are your stating rink – or at least they are in this Saskatchewan community.
Caught on camera: Porch pirate steals dirty diapers from Edmonton step
A would-be thief got away with a bag of dirty diapers after snagging what they thought was a package off an Edmonton porch.