Venus Williams' US Open run comes to close after losing doubles match to top seed

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Venus Williams has turned back the clock in Queens, but her Cinderella run at this year's U.S. Open has ended.

The 45-year-old partnered with Leylah Fernandez for the doubles bracket and made it all the way to the quarterfinals before the top-seeded duo of Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková took them down 6-1, 6-2.

When the match finished after 56 minutes in Louis Armstrong Stadium, Williams smiled as she walked to the net to shake hands with Siniaková, then hugged Townsend. Thousands of spectators rose to give Williams a standing ovation; Townsend and Siniaková then joined in, applauding for Williams.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Venus Williams (USA) (L) hugs partner Leylah Fernandez (CAN) (R) after match point against Katerina Siniakova (CZE) and Taylor Townsend (USA) (both not pictured) on day ten of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

"Growing up watching Venus and [her sister] Serena, for me and my sister, it was an inspiration," Townsend told the crowd. "It was an honor to share the court today."

Siniaková called Williams "a legend" and said it was "a privilege" to play against her.

The 45-year-old Williams earlier exited in the first round of both singles – bowing out against Karolína Muchová in three sets – and mixed doubles. She was out of competition for 16 months until returning to play at a tournament in Washington in July. Her most recent major tournament was the 2023 U.S. Open.

Williams and Fernandez, a 22-year-old from Canada who was the 2021 singles runner-up in New York, received a wild-card entry from the U.S.