Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez came from behind in the first set to defeat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez
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NEW YORK — Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez came from behind in the first set to defeat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the women's doubles opening round.
The 45-year-old Venus earned her first win in three New York tries after bowing out in the revamped mixed doubles tournament last week and losing to Karolina Muchova on Monday.
This was Venus' first doubles victory in New York since 2014, when she and Serena made it to the quarterfinals. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion won the doubles tournament here in 1999, alongside her sister Serena, and the pair won it a second time in 2009.
It looked bleak to start, with Venus and Fernandez falling behind 5-2 in the first set, but they rallied to even it at 5. And with the thunderous crowd firmly in their corner, they eked out the tiebreak to take the first set and grab firm control of the match.
The next set was far less dramatic, as the unseeded pair jumped out to a 4-1 lead and comfortably closed it out.
"I have no idea what I was thinking during that tiebreak. I think I just kind of went on instincts. Venus said it perfectly. Play it as if it was a singles match. So I just didn't want to think too much. ... No, I just wanted to go out there, play, and I had full confidence with Venus at the net and even in the baseline," said Fernandez.
"I'm used to being the big sister. So, I'm kind of asking her what she wants. It's important for her to feel comfortable. Theoretically I have more experience, but she's been playing a lot more matches, so maybe that makes us neck and neck in terms of how we can compete," Venus told reporters after the match.
The newly formed team of Williams and Fernandez will face Norway's Ulrikke Eikeri and Japan's Eri Hozumi in their next match, who won their first-round match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.