The match concluded with the Ukrainian-American duo securing a 2-1 victory, with set scores of 6-2, 1-6, and 10-8. Kostiuk and Stearns started strong, winning the first set convincingly, but the Williams sisters regained momentum in the second set. The fate of the match was decided in a tense tiebreak where Kostiuk and Stearns surged to a 6-0 lead, though the seasoned sisters narrowed the gap to 7-8. A crucial double fault by Venus Williams during her serve allowed Kostiuk and Stearns to clinch the victory.
Serena Williams expressed that the match was particularly special, noting that she and her sister had “shaken off the rust” during the game. She added that they had been waiting a long time for this return to the court and were finally finding their rhythm together again. Throughout their career, the Williams sisters have won 22 titles together, including 14 Grand Slam tournaments and three Olympic gold medals.
Next, Kostiuk and Stearns will face the third-seeded pair of Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, who previously eliminated Ukrainian player Lyudmyla Kichenok. Additionally, on August 18, Kostiuk is set to compete in singles against former world number three, Sloane Stephens.
