Venus Williams “eager to improve” after US Open exit in women’s doubles

NEW YORK—Having already achieved a Hall of Fame-worthy career multiple times over, Venus Williams still sees room for growth after her summer comeback ended at the US Open on Tuesday.

“I think after this tournament I can really see where I want to improve, what I can work on,” Williams said following a quarterfinal-round defeat in women’s doubles. “Yeah, I think that it's all great feedback. But also, I had a lot of chances to play a lot of matches here, which is what I would desperately need to get better. I saw myself improving so much with every match I was playing.”

Off the court for 16 months, Williams made a valiant return to action at 45 years old this summer, winning her first singles match since 2023 at the Mubadala Citi DC Open and pushing two-time semifinalist Karolina Muchova to three sets in the first round of this year’s US Open.

Despite the disappointing exit, Williams rebounded in doubles with Fernandez, a 2021 singles runner-up. In their first tournament as a pair, they upset No. 6 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez en route to the last eight, where they ultimately fell to top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.

“In a lot of ways, we just ran out of time,” Williams said. “I wish I could have played better today for Leylah. I blame myself for a lot of it. I just wasn't there. I think with a few matches I could have been a stronger partner today.”

The five-time Wimbledon champion has been reluctant to commit to more tournament after the US Open swing, blaming her ambivalence towards long flights as she seemingly ruled out the upcoming Asian Swing and even the 2026 Australian Open.

I think after this tournament I can really see where I want to improve, what I can work on. Yeah, I think that it's all great feedback. Venus Williams

“I do have commitments, you know, places I said I'd be, people expecting me to be there, like, the next few weeks,” said Williams. “So I have to go and show up. But I'm very serious about my commitments. I would never want to cancel now, so I'll try to keep those.

“If there is opportunity for me to play, then hopefully I can get back somewhere this year. I just don't know. I really don't.”

For all the talk of Williams’ age, the press conference with Fernandez ended with a bit of levity when the former No. 1 was asked about Will Smith, the Academy Award-winning actor who played her father Richard in the eponymous King Richard biopic in 2021.

Q. I can remember you years ago talking about watching DVDs of "The Fresh Prince" to sort of break up the monotony between matches here.

VENUS WILLIAMS: DVD? I don't know what he's talking about. He's older than me (laughter).

Q. I'm wondering, A, do you still watch the show? And, B, does it hit different now that Will's played your dad?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, my God, right? We were always on the court practicing. My dad only let us watch educational programs growing up, so never really got to see "The Fresh Prince" until I grew up. It was, like, major for me as a 20-year-old to watch that, but it never gets old.

Will Smith is a legend. The fact that he did such an honor to play my dad, and he took it -- you can't understand how seriously he took it. He really put his whole life into it, and he got rewarded for it too. In turn, we all got rewarded for it. I have so much respect for him.