Serena and Venus Williams knocked out of doubles’ play by Czech duo at US Open
Serena Williams and Venus Williams, both of whom will be making their way to the semifinals of the US Open on Monday, were knocked out of the doubles competition Sunday by an injury to Czech team-mates Daniella Golovin and Lucie Šafářová, which leaves the Williams sisters out of the women’s singles competition.
Williams was forced to pull out of the doubles against Anastasia Rodionova and Roberta Vinci due to a strained left ankle.
Golovin and Šafářová, who are ranked number one in the world in women’s doubles, withdrew from the US Open after having a chance to play the final against Serena and Venus. However, Venus Williams did play in the semifinals and was able to defeat Jovana Jakšić and Roberta Vinci.
Williams is no stranger to losing in the later rounds of the US Open, having lost in the semifinals of the year’s third major in 2005 against Monica Seles by a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Williams has made two consecutive trips to the final round of the championship series, having defeated Elena Dementieva in the third and seventh rounds of the 2010 US Open and losing to Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals of 2011 in an action-packed match that saw Williams beat Jelena to claim her third straight US Open title.
Will Serena Williams be able to defeat Venus Williams and Venus Williams at the US Open? (Getty Images)
Williams is the only player in history who has been knocked out of the US Open’s women’s doubles by losing their first tiebreaker match.
This latest loss will leave the Williams sisters as the last remaining American representatives in the championship round, where they will face Serena and Venus Williams as well as three-time champion Victoria Azarenka in three of the quarterfinal matches.
The US Open kicks off Monday with the first set of women’s singles action between American Sam