Williams Sisters Reassamble at Flushing Meadows as Pegula and Shelton Prepare for Tough Tests

The iconic American duo will begin their doubles campaign against 14th seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Maya Joint at Flushing Meadows. Meanwhile, high-profile American contenders Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton face difficult individual assignments as they look to progress through the singles draws against Leylah Fernandez and Denis Shapovalov respectively.

Iconic American Duo Reunites for First Grand Slam Appearance Since 2022

Two-time U.S. Open doubles champions Serena and Venus Williams will play together at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2022 on Friday. The legendary American sisters are scheduled to take on 14th seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Maya Joint in a highly anticipated first-round doubles encounter in New York.

Serena, 44, made her return to doubles competition in June after nearly four years away, partnering Victoria Mboko at Queen's Club and Karolina Muchova in Berlin before embarking on her singles comeback at Wimbledon. Despite planning to play alongside 46-year-old Venus at the All England Club, a knee injury forced Serena's withdrawal, though the pair later resumed their partnership in Cincinnati last month.

Challenging Opening Encounter Tests Williams Sisters' Form Against Rising Pair

The iconic duo faces a stern initial test against Chan and Joint, who have built impressive momentum as a team this season. The 14th seeds have enjoyed a strong start to their partnership, reaching the final in Memphis, advancing to the second round in Toronto, and progressing to the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.

Adding further intrigue to the match, Joint defeated Serena in the first round at Wimbledon earlier this summer in what remains the only singles contest of the American's comeback. However, Venus enters the tournament with recent doubles pedigree at Flushing Meadows, having reached the women's doubles quarter-finals alongside Leylah Fernandez last year.

Third-Seeded Pegula Prepares for Tactical Challenge Against Fernandez

Third seed Jessica Pegula will look to continue her strong form at the U.S. Open when she meets 31st seed Leylah Fernandez on Friday. The 32-year-old American has served with authority throughout the tournament, utilizing her accuracy and consistency to dictate rallies and restrict scoring opportunities for her opponents.

Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, has shown signs of rediscovering her top form after victories over Mananchaya Sawangkaew and Zhang Shuai. Pegula holds a 3-1 head-to-head record over the 23-year-old Canadian, including a victory in Miami earlier this year, but acknowledged the difficulty of facing an aggressive left-hander with proven success in New York.

Shelton Seeks to Maintain Unbeaten Record Against Canada's Shapovalov

Eighth seed Ben Shelton will aim to extend his U.S. Open run when he collides with Canadian southpaw Denis Shapovalov in a blockbuster third-round clash. The 23-year-old American secured his place in the third round for the third consecutive year after emerging victorious from a hard-fought four-set battle against Hubert Hurkacz.

Standing in his path is former quarter-finalist Shapovalov, who has surrendered just one set through the opening two rounds following a run to the Los Cabos final. Although Shelton holds a 4-0 career record against the Canadian, including victories at Wimbledon in 2024 and Dallas in February, Shapovalov's aggressive play from the baseline presents a dangerous challenge.

High-Powered Friday Order of Play Set Across Main Show Courts

The Friday schedule at Flushing Meadows features compelling action across the main show courts starting from 1500 GMT. Arthur Ashe Stadium will host Pegula against Fernandez, followed by Yibing Wu taking on second seed Carlos Alcaraz, the Williams sisters' doubles clash, and Shelton's marquee contest against Shapovalov.

Over on Louis Armstrong Stadium, top seed Aryna Sabalenka opens play against Kamilla Rakhimova. The remaining program on the second court features 15th seed Alexander Bublik against 20th seed Tommy Paul, 22nd seed Valentin Vacherot facing 11th seed Frances Tiafoe, and ninth seed Elina Svitolina meeting Anna Kalinskaya.