Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez celebrate a point during their women's doubles match against Ulrikke Eikeri/Eri Hozumi at the 2025 US Open. Photo: *Reuters*

Before the 2025 US Open began, Williams only planned to make her 25th singles appearance with a wildcard and partner with fellow American Reilly Opelka in the new mixed doubles format.

However, a late-night call to play women's doubles extended her New York journey after her first-round exit in the singles and round of 16 loss in mixed doubles. The 2025 US Open marks the first Grand Slam since Wimbledon 1998 where Williams has competed in all three events: women's singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles.

A twist of fate

The 45-year-old Williams and 22-year-old Fernandez's partnership was unexpected. Fernandez, ranked 30th in the world, initially planned to play with Marie Bouzkova, but her Czech teammate withdrew due to injury. Eager to compete in doubles, Fernandez's team scrambled for a replacement. That's when her father and coach, Jorge Fernandez, had a bold idea.

"Why not ask Venus? I mean, the worst that could happen is that she says no, right?", Leylah recalled her father saying. Lacking Williams' phone number, Fernandez reached out through mutual contacts. Around 10:30 PM, she received a positive response.

Fernandez described the moment as feeling like "a kid on Christmas": "I couldn't stop smiling all night and even the next morning. I was so happy and excited".

The day before their first-round doubles match, Williams and Fernandez aimed for a full practice session, but Fernandez's three-set singles match prevented it. They managed a brief warm-up before their match the following day.

Venus Williams signs autographs after her victory over Ulrikke Eikeri/Eri Hozumi. Photo: *Reuters*

The serendipitous nature of their journey continued. Their opening match against the sixth-seeded pair of Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) and Ellen Perez (Australia) was initially scheduled for Grandstand. However, due to an early finish on Louis Armstrong Stadium, their match was moved to Flushing Meadows' second-largest court, and their performance was worthy of the packed stadium.

Their playing styles blended seamlessly, resulting in a memorable 7-6(4), 6-3 victory. Williams unleashed serves around 160 km/h, leaving their opponents unable to return. As Fernandez sealed the match with an ace, she raised her racket and embraced Williams. The crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium erupted in applause, and Williams performed her signature twirl, marking her first US Open women's doubles victory in 11 years.

"I couldn't believe it," Williams said about the invitation to partner with Fernandez. "It was like 10 PM at night. I was thinking, 'I'm not very good at doubles.' But it's fun to be back out here in front of all you guys".

The journey continues

Williams boasts 14 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, all with Serena. Fernandez is still seeking her first Grand Slam title in both singles and doubles. Combining experience and youth, Williams and Fernandez have become one of the tournament's most compelling stories.

In the second round, they defeated Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway) and Eri Hozumi (Japan) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1, showcasing composure under pressure in the first set and complete dominance in the second.

The first set remained tight until the tiebreak. Williams and Fernandez then surged ahead, winning it 7-1 with Williams' aggressive net play and Fernandez's accurate groundstrokes. Capitalizing on their momentum, they broke serve early in the second set and maintained their advantage, closing out the match in just over 90 minutes.

After the match, Fernandez graciously yielded the spotlight to Williams, gesturing for her 45-year-old partner to perform her signature twirl and wave to the cheering Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd. Williams reciprocated, allowing Fernandez to do the same.

"Venus is truly an inspiration," Fernandez said after the match. "She has motivated me to keep going on this journey, through the good times and the bad. To see Venus still playing here, enjoying herself and having that passion for the sport is truly inspiring".

Williams declared: "Our energy comes from being on the same page, being determined, not giving up, always being focused on every single detail. It's great because I've never played with a partner – besides Serena – with that kind of spirit. It's really fun".

This is Williams' first time advancing past the second round in US Open women's doubles since 2014 and her first Grand Slam women's doubles victories since Roland Garros 2018. At 45, she is also the oldest player to compete in the US Open women's singles main draw since Renee Richards in 1981.

For Fernandez, the 2021 US Open singles finalist, partnering with Williams offers a chance to go deep in the tournament after her third-round singles loss to world number one Aryna Sabalenka. They need four more wins to claim the women's doubles title. Regardless of the outcome, fans are relishing every moment this unexpected duo – especially Williams – brings to Flushing Meadows this year.

Hoang Thong