Serena Williams and Venus Williams were eliminated from the Cincinnati Open in the first round on Tuesday after losing to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. The legendary American sisters made their return to doubles action on Grandstand court before a sold-out crowd in Mason, Ohio, but fell in a deciding super tie-break.
Kostyuk and Stearns entered the match as favorites over the iconic duo and secured victory despite a late comeback attempt by the Williams sisters. The contest ended when Venus Williams committed a double fault on match point.
First set loss and second set turnaround
The return of Serena Williams to competitive tennis had generated widespread excitement among fans eager to see her reunite on court with her sister Venus. However, Kostyuk and Stearns established early dominance in the WTA 1000 tournament match, cruising through the opening set 6-2.
The Williams sisters fought for a break in the eighth game of the first set, earning three break points, but failed to convert any of them. Despite the early setback, Serena and Venus responded strongly in the second set, elevating their game to build a 3-0 lead.
Kostyuk and Stearns were unable to break the experienced American pair, allowing the Williams sisters to claim the second set 6-1 and force a super tie-break.
Super tie-break drama and second round matchup
The deciding tie-break brought dramatic shifts in momentum. Kostyuk and Stearns raced to a 6-0 lead and extended their advantage to 8-2 before the Williams sisters mounted a fierce rally, winning five consecutive points to narrow the score to 8-7. Kostyuk and Stearns held their nerve to win the final points, sealed by the double fault from Venus Williams.
Kostyuk and Stearns advance to the second round of the Cincinnati Open, where they will face Hanyu Guo and Kristina Mladenovic. Guo and Mladenovic enter the tournament as this year's reigning Wimbledon champions.
The Cincinnati Open is a major outdoor hard-court tournament played annually in Ohio, serving as a key tune-up event ahead of the US Open.
