Venus Williams’ US Open dream is over after she and partner Leylah Fernandez were defeated in the women’s doubles quarter-finals by top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova.
The wildcard pairing, who had already eliminated two seeded teams, fell 6-1, 6-2 in just 57 minutes.
Despite the loss, Williams, 45, was all smiles as she received a standing ovation from the crowd. Both Townsend and Siniakova paid tribute to Williams, calling her an “inspiration” and a “legend.”
The match marked Williams’ first appearance in the last eight of a Grand Slam since winning Wimbledon in 2016.
Townsend and Siniakova, who have yet to drop a set, will now face fourth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens for a place in the final.
