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Venus Williams has some sweet words for Canada’s Leylah Fernandez

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Aug 29 2025, 5:35 pm
Venus Williams has some sweet words for Canada’s Leylah Fernandez
US Open/YouTube

It isn’t every day that Leylah Fernandez gets to take the court with someone twice her age, but that’s exactly what the 2021 US Open finalist got the chance to do on Thursday.

Joining forces with 45-year-old Venus Williams, the oldest woman in the US Open singles draw since 1981, Fernandez and her partner took down  Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez 7-6, 6-3 in their first doubles match together.

Given that Williams and her younger sister Serena won 14 doubles major titles, Williams seemed quite impressed with Fernandez’s ability to mesh with her quickly.

“I never really played with a partner, outside of Serena, obviously, who had [a similar] kind of mentality. So it was really fun, and I think we can just hopefully continue to get better,” Williams said following their match. “Our energy really matched each other in terms of determination, in terms of not giving up, in terms of really still just focus and dialled in on every single thing.”

The 22-year-old Fernandez appeared to be relishing the opportunity to play with such a legend.

“I was like a kid on Christmas Day, just jumping around. I was so happy. I don’t think I stopped smiling for the whole night, and even in the morning. I was just super happy and excited,” Fernandez said.

As for the Serena comparison? Fernandez called it “probably the biggest compliment I ever got.”

“Thank you, Venus,” she added. “Oh, man. I feel like those are big shoes to fill at the moment.”

Fernandez takes to centre court on Friday night against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, while she and Williams will face Eri Hozumi and Ulrikke Eikeri in a doubles match on Saturday.

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