Serena, Venus Williams to face Czech pair in first round of US Open doubles

NEW YORK — Serena and Venus Williams were drawn to face the Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova in the first round of doubles at the US Open.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced the doubles brackets Sunday, a day before the tournament begins. Serena has said she is preparing to retire, and the expectation is that the US Open will be her final event.

She plays in singles Monday night. The doubles competition will begin Wednesday, with first-round matches spread over that day and Thursday.

It is the first doubles event for the Williams sisters together since the 2018 French Open. They have won 14 Grand Slam championships in doubles as a team, most recently at Wimbledon in 2016.

Two of their doubles titles came at the US Open, in 1999 and 2009.

Hradecka, 37, won two major doubles trophies with Andrea Hlavackova — at the 2013 US Open and 2011 French Open. Noskova, 17, has never won a Grand Slam match in singles or doubles.