Serena Williams may have hung up her U.S. Open racket, but her influence was felt Monday as Venus Williams revealed her legendary sister has been coaching from afar while she and Leylah Fernandez stormed into the doubles quarterfinals.
The wildcard duo toppled 12th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-4, marking Venus’ first major doubles quarterfinal since 2016 and adding a new chapter to the improbable partnership with the 22-year-old Canadian.
It was a night that fused nostalgia with youthful energy: Venus, a 14-time doubles major champion alongside Serena, now forges a fresh story with Fernandez, even teasingly calling for her sister’s presence at Flushing Meadows.
"She gave me a pep talk today. She gets so nervous watching, and she’s got her kids yelling my name," Venus said on court.
"She’s so happy for Leylah and me, she’s giving us advice. We just need her in the box. My message is, Serena, you need to show up."
The Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd roared throughout the match, lifting the American veteran with almost electric energy, while off the court, the scene was just as striking.
Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Academy Award winner Rami Malek were spotted in the stands, mingling among regular fans thanks to the secondary stadium’s lack of luxury suites.
While the noise belonged to the New York crowd, Venus admitted the guiding voice she still hears most clearly is her sister’s from afar.
"She’s definitely coaching from a distance," Venus later told reporters. "She gave me a pep talk and made sure to call me today. I was like, 'You’re right, I got it.'"
Fernandez added with a laugh: "Most likely, if she came, we'd probably bully her into hitting with us."
Williams and Fernandez continue their fairytale run and will next face top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, who lost in a marathon singles match Sunday after missing eight match points.
