Williams sisters revive doubles partnership ahead of US Open
A wild-card entry in Mason sets the stage for Serena and Venus to test timing and patterns on hard courts before the final major of the year.
Serena and Venus Williams (bb2deb63-4fce-9e10-80e8-e16590139fb3) are set to take part in the Cincinnati Open, which begins next week. Organizers announced Monday they received a wild-card entry into the doubles field. The pairing lands on hard courts that favor quick directional changes and early ball striking.
Shared memory shapes early tactics
The sisters last played a doubles match together at the 2022 US Open. Their first time teaming up in the hard-court tuneup tournament in Mason revives a 1–2 pattern built on crosscourt pressure followed by down-the-line finishes. Inside-out forehands and quick switches to crosscourt angles remain central, yet each must now adjust timing after extended absences.
Venus Williams at 46 brings slice serve variety that can pull opponents wide, opening space for her sister to step inside the baseline. The Williams sisters have won 14 major titles and three Olympic gold medals in doubles play. Their experience allows rapid tactical shifts mid-match.
Net positioning adjusts to younger opponents
At the net the sisters once dominated with poaching instincts. Now the emphasis falls on compact volleys and early reads rather than extended rallies. Serena at 44 must manage recovery between points after her singles return at Wimbledon, while maintaining the low center of gravity required for quick lateral coverage.
Opponents in the draw will likely target the middle of the court to limit the sisters’ angles. Effective responses require precise serve placement that sets up inside-in forehands or short slice backhands. The surface speed rewards precise down-the-line winners once the ball is neutralized.
Schedule pressure tests mental reset
The Williams sisters received a wild-card entry to play doubles at Wimbledon, but an injury to Serena prevented that from happening. Venus Williams, 46, is set to play mixed doubles at the US Open later this month in New York alongside Alexander Bublik. That schedule overlap forces careful energy allocation between Cincinnati doubles matches and preparation for mixed play on the same hard courts.
Cincinnati offers a shorter block of matches, allowing them to rebuild the one–two combinations and slice approaches without the full weight of a two-week major draw. Each practice session now carries the dual task of restoring match fitness and re-establishing the intuitive reads that made their partnership dominant.