Williams sisters draw Maya Joint in US Open doubles return
Serena and Venus Williams will open their 2026 US Open women's doubles campaign against No. 14 seeds Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, after Tuesday's draw in New York. First-round play begins Thursday, renewing a Grand Slam pairing last seen at Flushing Meadows in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- The Williams sisters face Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in the US Open doubles first round.
- Chan and Joint are the No. 14-seeded team in the women's doubles draw.
- Maya Joint beat Serena in singles at Wimbledon this summer before Serena's knee injury ended a planned doubles run with Venus.
- Venus and Serena won US Open doubles titles in 1999 and 2009 and are 27-7 across nine Flushing Meadows appearances.
- Women's doubles first-round matches begin Thursday.
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Who are Venus and Serena Williams playing first?
According to ESPN, the sisters were drawn Tuesday to meet Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in their opening women's doubles match at the US Open.
Joint, a 20-year-old from Australia, partners Chan as the No. 14 seed. The matchup instantly raises the stakes for Venus, 46, and Serena, 44, as they return to Grand Slam doubles together in New York.
Why does the Maya Joint rematch matter?
Serena returned this year after four years out of action and lost to Maya Joint at Wimbledon, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3. She injured her knee in that match and had to pull out of a planned doubles pairing with Venus at the All England Club.
Now Serena faces Joint again—this time with Venus beside her—in the US Open doubles opener. The sisters last competed as a team at the 2022 US Open, falling in the first round in what was expected to be Serena's final match in Flushing Meadows.
They remain two-time US Open doubles champions, lifting the title in 1999 and 2009, and hold a 27-7 record in nine tournament appearances.
When can fans watch the Williams sisters live?
The first round of the women's doubles tournament begins Thursday. Exact court assignments and broadcast windows can shift with the schedule, so check official US Open listings closer to match time for live coverage options.
Until then, the story centers on a rare sister reunion against a seeded pair led by Maya Joint—the same Australian who halted Serena's singles comeback at Wimbledon and now stands in the way of their Grand Slam doubles return.