"If Serena came, she would coach us on the court, and we might even force her to play," says Venus Williams after her doubles victory with Leylah Fernandez
Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are teaming up in doubles at the US Open. After qualifying for the quarterfinals with their win over Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai (6-3, 6-4), the two players surprised the audience with an unprecedented chemistry. Moreover, the American explained that her sister, Serena, plays a key role in her decisions both on and off the court:
"She is very happy for Leylah and me, and she gave us some advice. We just need her in the stands. So my message is: 'Serena, you have to come.' She encouraged me and called me today. She gets very nervous when she watches matches, and she asks the kids to watch them too.
So we kind of have three coaches because Serena is almost part of the team. If she came, it would be a dream for both of us. She would coach us on the court, and we might even force her to play."
The 45-year-old legend also continued by discussing her indecision about returning to doubles on the tour:
"At first, I refused because I haven’t played much tennis lately. I thought, 'Oh my God, I don’t want to go on the court and make mistakes.' But an hour later, I thought, 'I think I want to do it.'"
For a spot in the semifinals, Williams and Fernandez will have their work cut out for them as they will face the tournament's No. 1 seeds: Siniakova and Townsend.
