Venus Williams Reflects on Growth After US Open Doubles Exit

NEW YORK—Venus Williams, the former world No. 1, expressed her desire to improve following her exit from the US Open in women’s doubles. At 45 years old, she partnered with Leylah Fernandez and reached the quarterfinals before their defeat.

“I think after this tournament I can really see where I want to improve, what I can work on,” Williams said after the loss. Despite her disappointment, she found the experience valuable. “I had a lot of chances to play a lot of matches here, which is what I would desperately need to get better,” she added.

Williams returned to the court this summer after being away for 16 months. During that time, she won her first singles match since 2023 at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. She also gave a strong performance against two-time semifinalist Karolina Muchova in the first round of the US Open, displaying her determination.

In the doubles event, Williams and Fernandez surprised the No. 6 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez to reach the last eight. However, they faced tough competition against top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, ultimately losing the match. “In a lot of ways, we just ran out of time,” Williams said. “I wish I could have played better today for Leylah. I blame myself for a lot of it,” she remarked.

After the US Open, Williams expressed uncertainty about her future tournament participation, citing her hesitance regarding long flights. “I do have commitments, you know, places I said I’d be,” she explained. Yet, she remains open to potential play this year.

During the press conference, a lighter moment occurred when Williams joked about Will Smith, who played her father in the film ‘King Richard.’ When asked if she still watched ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ she humorously replied, “DVD? I don’t know what he’s talking about. He’s older than me (laughter).”

Looking ahead, Williams is focused on her growth and the excitement of future matches.