According to official tournament details released on Monday, August 17, 2026, the reunion brings together one of the most successful duos in tennis history. Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, boast 22 tour-level doubles titles as a team, including 14 Grand Slam championships and three Olympic gold medals. For Serena, who stepped away from full-time professional tennis four years ago, returning to Cincinnati is a homecoming of sorts.
“I’m just here having fun. Every blue moon I’ll pop up,” Serena said. “This was always one of my favorite places to play. It’s literally one of my top three places on the whole tour.”
While Serena is limiting her campaign to the doubles draw, Venus also competed in the singles tournament, where she fell to Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango in the first round. Serena herself holds a storied history at the venue, being one of only two players in the Open Era—alongside Victoria Azarenka—to win multiple Cincinnati singles titles (2014 and 2015).
The tournament also marks Serena’s first experience with the venue’s recent $260 million modernization. “This site is so different, right? It’s so nice. I love it,” she remarked. Reflecting on her favorite moments in the city, she laughed about her lack of memory regarding her back-to-back victories, noting instead that her core memories involve visiting the Kings Island amusement park across the street, going to local movie theaters, and spending time with her children.
Addressing the current state of women’s tennis, Serena expressed strong admiration for the next generation of players. She singled out French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, American star Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina for their dominance and focus. “I love watching women play, I love watching women do amazing things, I love watching these new players just go out and do great,” she said.
Despite acknowledging the competitive “rust” that comes with a four-year hiatus from doubles play, the Williams sisters remain focused on enjoying their time on court together, bringing a massive spotlight to the ongoing tournament in Ohio.