“Serena, you have to come!” That’s the plea from tennis legend Venus Williams. She’s currently making magic at the 2025 US Open. But her equally famous sister, Serena, has been notably absent from the stands. Venus, 45, and her doubles partner, Leylah Fernandez, 22, are on a Cinderella run. They just fought their way into the quarterfinals on Monday, September 1st. A loud crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium cheered them on. The unseeded duo is now set to face the top favorites, Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková, on Tuesday, September 2nd.
After their big win, Venus didn’t hold back when asked about Serena’s no-show. During a courtside interview with ESPN, she said, “She’s really happy for Leylah and me, and she’s given us advice.” But Venus quickly added, “We just need her in the player’s box. My message is: Serena, you have to come.” It’s a playful but firm call for her sister to join the action live.
The Williams sisters know a thing or two about playing together. They’ve teamed up to win a whopping 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles on the WTA circuit. Serena, 43, hasn’t played a professional tennis match since the 2022 US Open. That August, she famously announced her decision to step away from tennis.
Even though Serena hasn’t been in New York to watch her older sister play live, she’s definitely been keeping up from home. On Sunday, August 31st, Serena posted a funny video on TikTok. She shared it with the caption, “When you see your sister @Venus Williams has a new doubles partner @leylahanniefernandez and you’re actually happy she’s winning with someone else…” The video showed Serena forcing a smile. It was a clear, playful hint that it’s a bit strange for the 23-time Grand Slam champion to see Venus finding success with someone new. Check out Serena’s TikTok here.
Venus seems to be enjoying her new partnership as well. After she and Fernandez won their first-round match on Thursday, August 28th, Venus joked she “wasn’t very good at doubles.” She then praised Fernandez. “Our energy really matched up,” Williams explained. “We both have that drive, that refusal to quit. We stay focused on every little detail.” She added, “That felt amazing because I’ve never really played with a partner — besides Serena, of course — who had that kind of mindset. So it’s been a lot of fun.”
Venus also put up a brave fight in her singles first-round match against Karolina Muchová on August 25th. She lost 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, but her effort really impressed Serena. “Strength, courage, determination, class, perseverance, inspiration…” Serena wrote on Instagram. “There are no words to describe how proud I am of you @VenusWilliams. P.S. I hope to be like you.” It’s clear that even from afar, the sisterly love and admiration are stronger than ever. See Serena’s Instagram post here.