FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — It was only supposed to be singles for Venus Williams at the U.S. Open, until a late night call to play in women’s doubles extended the tennis icon’s stay in New York. Williams and Leylah Fernandez’s newly formed doubles partnership of fate and luck is now into the second round of the event, after upsetting No. 6 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez 7-6(4), 6-3 Thursday in front of a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Before the U.S. Open began, Williams, who has 14 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, was scheduled for only her 25th main-draw appearance in the singles draw, after receiving a wild card. Now, the 45-year-old and the young Canadian have announced their arrival in the doubles event, playing like an experienced team rather than one that was created on a whim.
“I don’t think we came in with a plan,” Fernandez said after the match. “We tried to figure things out in the beginning. Venus said the most amazing strategy during the changeover, ‘Bring the energy up’ It was a great atmosphere.”
Originally this match was scheduled for the Grandstand court. Because the day session ended quickly on Louis Armstrong, it moved to the second-biggest stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and their performance earned an Armstrong billing.
Williams and Fernandez were down 3-5 in the first set, but the deficit never fazed the pair, as they rallied to force a first-set tiebreak. Even when Williams missed a makeable volley to go up 4-2 in the tiebreak, it didn’t bother her. With the set on their racket up 5-4, Williams unleashed two 100 mph serves in the body and out wide, both unreturnable, to capture the set.
Williams said that sharing a similar fighting spirit with Fernandez ultimately guided them to the first set. It reminded Venus of playing doubles with her sister, Serena.
“Our energy really matched each other in terms of determination, in terms of not giving up, in terms of really still just focus and dialed in on every single thing,” Williams said.
“That felt amazing, because I never really played with a partner, outside of Serena, obviously, who had that kind of mentality.”
In the second set, the duo quickly went up a break 2-0. It was nearly evaporated in the next game, as Kichenok and Perez had break point. But Williams/Fernandez’s volley forehand winner brought the game back to deuce. At game point, Williams hit a 69 mph second-serve to the body, before Fernandez connected on a forehand volley winner to consolidate the break.
The American/Canadian duo then cruised to victory, as Fernandez closed out the match with an unreturnable serve. The Canadian raised her racket and embraced Williams. The crowd at Armstrong gave a rousing standing ovation, as Williams did her trademark twirl and Fernandez waved, eyes and smile wide.
It is Williams’ first doubles victory at the U.S. Open in 11 years.
The Williams and Fernandez duo wasn’t supposed to happen. Originally, Fernandez was scheduled to play with Marie Bouzková. But the Czech player withdrew due to an injury. Fernandez wanted to play doubles and her team scrambled to find a replacement.
That was when her dad and coach, Jorge Fernandez, had a wild idea.
“Why not just ask Venus Williams? I mean, you know, the worst she can say is no, right?” Fernandez remembers her dad asking.
Fernandez didn’t have Williams’ number so she had to ask people who knew her to see if she wanted to play doubles. Fernandez got an evening reply at around 10:30 p.m. that Williams was in for doubles.
Fernandez described receiving the call “like a kid on Christmas Day.”
“I don’t think I stopped smiling for the whole night and even in the morning,” Fernandez said. “I was just super happy and excited.”
They were supposed to have a full practice on Wednesday but Fernandez’s singles match went three sets so it couldn’t happen. They did have a practice hit before taking the court on Thursday. When they stepped on the court, their games coalesced and it delivered one of the memorable victories of the U.S. Open.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Williams said about receiving the call. “It was around 10 p.m. I remember thinking to myself, ‘I’m not that very good at doubles.’ It was fun playing in front of you guys.”
Williams and Fernandez play Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi in the second round. For Williams, she’s having fun on court and feels like she is progressing. Fernandez has the recent match experience in doubles to align with Williams’ past success.
The result is another day in New York for a tennis legend, all because of a phone call.
(Photo: Yuki Iwamura / Getty Images)