SERENA WILLIAMS SKIPS POST-MATCH PRESS AFTER US OPEN DOUBLES EXIT

Serena Williams did not attend the post-match press conference following her and Venus Williams' first-round doubles loss to Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching at the US Open. According to reports, Serena waved to the crowd, left the court and departed the venue by car, leaving Venus alone in the locker room. The tournament declined to require Venus to conduct the press conference without her doubles partner, as protocol typically requires both participants in a doubles pair to attend media obligations together.

The decision prompted criticism from tennis commentators and journalists covering the tournament. Patrick McEnroe posted on social media that only the Williams sisters could fill a stadium for a doubles match and called for them to show up for the post-match press conference. Journalist Jon Wertheim drew a contrasting comparison, noting that Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys attended their media obligations after suffering losses at the same tournament, characterising their conduct as accountable and professional.

The Williams sisters' return to doubles competition at the US Open marked their first appearance together in the category since 2022. They had been granted an evening slot on Ashe Court, a scheduling distinction rarely given to first-round doubles pairs. According to tournament rules, the Williams sisters will not face financial penalties for their absence from the press conference.