At 45 years old, Venus Williams continues to defy expectations, showcasing skill and resilience beyond her ranking and age. Paired with 22-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez, Williams secured a straight-sets victory against the sixth-seeded duo of Lyudmyla Kichenok from Ukraine and Ellen Perez from Australia, winning 7-6 (4), 6-3. The match, originally scheduled for the Grandstand Court, was moved to the expansive and energetic Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Despite Williams' low doubles ranking of No. 582, the pairing displayed remarkable synergy and talent. They overcame an early deficit in the first set, regaining a break in the ninth game to force a tiebreaker. Tied at 4-4 in the tiebreak, Williams and Fernandez won the final three points decisively.

In the second set, the duo broke serve at love early in the second game and successfully defended multiple break points in the subsequent game. They maintained their composure, dropping just one point in their last three service games.

Their aggressive yet controlled play was reflected in the statistics, as they committed only ten unforced errors compared to sixteen by their opponents. Following the match, Williams praised Fernandez, calling her "the best partner I ever played with besides (sister) Serena. We play the same style. I’m just a little bit bigger."

Venus and Serena Williams have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including two at the US Open (1999 and 2009). This match marked Venus Williams' first Grand Slam doubles appearance since the 2022 US Open, which was Serena Williams’ farewell to competitive tennis.

Fernandez described their on-court approach positively: "I don’t think we came in with a plan. We tried to figure things out in the beginning. Venus said the most amazing strategy during the changeover, ‘Bring the energy up’ — It was a great atmosphere."

Looking ahead, the wildcard team will face the unseeded pair Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway and Eri Hozumi of Japan in the round of 32.