Tennis
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.
