Venus Williams exits US Open in style after age-defying run

NEW YORK :Venus Williams exited the U.S. Open in good fashion on Tuesday, putting up a solid effort in her women's doubles quarter-final defeat after taking the headlines back once again for her style and substance on the court.

The 45-year-old made an age-defying return to tennis this year, becoming the oldest WTA singles match winner since 2004 in July, and her matches in the women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles made her appointment viewing across Flushing Meadows.

A breathless account of her on-court fashions followed, from Vogue to InStyle, more than a quarter-century after she and sister Serena changed tennis' fashion game, a testament to her enduring influence.

"For me what you wear is just a reflection of who you are and being able to express myself on the court," said Williams, who lost with Canadian partner Leylah Fernandez to Australian Open winners Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend 6-1 6-2 on Tuesday.

"It's a lot of fun when you wear something you feel good in."

She wore a pleated-and-collared, all-white kit for her singles first-round match, a nod to trailblazer Althea Gibson, that earned raves - as did her valiant display in the three-set defeat to 11th seed Karolina Muchova.

In the women's doubles, she wore a mesh-layered kit with an embellished trim and, later, a dress reportedly custom-designed from high-fashion brand Pucci.

Earlier this year, she brought the tennis and fashion worlds together when she became the first to wear Lacoste on the red carpet at the iconic Met Gala.

"It doesn't matter what that is, as long as you feel good in it. So I got to do that," said Williams. "If it was fashionable, thank you for that."

The headline-grabbing looks come as players say fashion is a necessary means to