Serena Williams’ Reaction Says It All as Sister Venus Keeps Cruising at the US Open

Venus Williams has long owned one of tennis’ most iconic walk-ons: a hand raised to the crowd, a skip, a twirl, and the applause raining down. This US Open, though, the script took a sharper turn. After her DC Open comeback and a mixed doubles stint with Reilly Opelka, Venus now headlines with Leylah Fernandez, her 11th doubles partner. Yet through decades, her truest ally was always Serena Williams. Now, as Venus chases glory with a new face at her side, Serena Williams steps forward, not with cheers, but with raw honesty. 

At 45, Venus turned back time, teaming with Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, 22 years her junior, to storm past Eri Hozumi and Ulrikke Eikeri 7-6 (7-1), 6-1. It marked only her second Grand Slam match win in four years, the first coming just a round earlier.

Venus Williams now stands in the third round of a major for the first time since her 2018 French Open run alongside Serena. Yet, while the elder sister dances toward her dream under New York’s lights, Serena shares her feelings with raw honesty.

Serena Williams recently took to her TikTok account, sharing a clip from Venus’s doubles match at the US Open. The video captured Venus in conversation with her partner Leylah Fernandez, and Serena couldn’t resist adding her own playful reaction. She overlaid the clip with an expression that was both happy and sad, half celebrating, half aching, as her sister continued her march in New York. Fans quickly amplified the moment on X, with one caption reading, “Serena reacts to Venus having another doubles partner 😭😭.”

And why wouldn’t Serena feel that bittersweet pull? When tennis fans talk about the Williams sisters’ doubles career, one record always takes center stage: their unmatched dominance as a team. Together, Serena and Venus Williams claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, posting an incredible 14-0 record in finals. 

That perfect streak spans four Australian Opens, two Roland Garros triumphs, six Wimbledon crowns, and two US Open victories. Out of those 14 championship matches, they crushed the competition in straight sets on 10 occasions.

Their doubles résumé places them high on tennis’s Mount Rushmore. With 14 majors as a team, the Williams sisters own the third-most doubles Grand Slams in the Open Era, trailing only Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver’s 20 and the 17 collected by Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva. 

The sisters first broke through as teenagers in 1999 at Roland Garros, defeating Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova in a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 victory. From that moment forward, their partnership was not just about family; it was about rewriting tennis history.

The numbers alone tell the story of their greatness. Serena compiled a 190-34 career doubles record, while Venus Williams achieved a 185-37 mark. Together, their combined win percentage soared to an astonishing 84%, a feat unmatched by most professional doubles teams. 

They carved out two distinct dynasties of dominance: between 1999 and 2003, when they captured six majors and Olympic gold at Sydney, going 68-12 (85%); and again from 2008 to 2012, when they won seven more majors, two Olympic golds, and reached world No. 1 in doubles, finishing 72-7 (91%).

On the Olympic stage, their brilliance shone just as bright. Venus and Serena claimed gold medals in 2000 (Sydney), 2008 (Beijing), and 2012 (London), compiling a combined Olympic record of 15-1. Their only defeat came as a shock in Rio 2016, when Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova sent them packing in the first round. Yet even with that lone blemish, their Olympic legacy stands as one of the strongest in tennis history.

So while Serena’s TikTok may have carried an edge of sadness at seeing her sister celebrate with a new partner, there is no mistaking the truth: she remains Venus’s fiercest supporter. 

As the elder Williams continues to chase doubles glory at the US Open, Serena’s reactions, joyful, nostalgic, and raw, remind us all of the legacy they built together and the bond that no new partnership can ever replace.

Serena honors Venus Williams in emotional US Open tribute

On August 25, 1997, the gates of the Arthur Ashe Stadium swung open for the very first time for the US Open for that year. That same evening, a 17-year-old Venus Williams stormed onto the court, carving a path to the US Open final that lit the spark of her monumental legacy. 

Nearly three decades later, time has reshaped everything around her, yet her fire refuses to fade, and her determination stands tall. This time, fate struck hard, as her singles comeback against 11th seed Karolina Muchova ended in a first-round exit. Still, the world stood in reverence, saluting her unshakable spirit.

Just days later, Serena Williams turned to Instagram, pouring out her heart in a radiant tribute. Her feed brimmed with timeless snapshots of Venus Williams under the bright New York lights, each picture carrying the weight of history. Serena’s words struck deep: “Strength, courage, determination, class, perseverance, inspiration… there’s not enough words to describe how proud I am of you, @VenusWilliams. P.S. I hope to be like you.”

The emotion didn’t stop there. Alexis Ohanian, Serena’s husband, added his voice with one simple yet powerful remark: “👏👏👏 inspired!!!” In that moment, family pride and global admiration collided, wrapping Venus’s journey in warmth and thunderous applause.

Venus Williams may have bowed out in singles, but her doubles magic still crackles with energy, keeping her name alive in the heart of the US Open. Her fire, her fight, and her aura remain untouched.

For more updates on Venus’s unforgettable run, follow EssentiallySports’ live blog.