Serena, Venus Williams get US Open doubles wild-card entry

This marks their first tournament as a team in more than four years.

 In this Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, file photo, USA's Venus Williams (left) and Serena Williams (right) talk between points in their doubles match against Netherlands' Leslie Herkhove and Demi Schuurs in the first round of Fed Cup tennis competition in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

In this Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, file photo, USA's Venus Williams (left) and Serena Williams (right) talk between points in their doubles match against Netherlands' Leslie Herkhove and Demi Schuurs in the first round of Fed Cup tennis competition in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

Serena and Venus Williams were given a wild-card entry for women’s doubles at the US Open on Saturday, making it their first tournament as a team in more than four years.

Serena announced this month that she is preparing to end her playing career and, while she did not explicitly say the US Open would be her final event, she has indicated it will be.

Serena, who turns 41 next month, and Venus, who turned 42 in June, have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together. That includes two championships at Flushing Meadows, in 1999 and 2009.

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That’s aside from their combined total of 30 major trophies in singles — 23 for Serena, and seven for Venus.

The sisters have not competed anywhere in doubles as a pairing since losing in the third round of the French Open in June 2018.

Since then, Serena entered two doubles events with other partners: one with Caroline Wozniacki in January 2020, and one with Ons Jabeur this June.

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