Cincinnati Masters: Williams sisters ousted in first doubles outing in four years
Top seed Alexander Zverev reached the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Monday while Serena and Venus Williams lost their first doubles match together in four years.
Source: Al Jazeera · August 18, 2026 at 9:31 AM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 18 AUGUST 2026 —
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Top seed Alexander Zverev reached the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Monday while Serena and Venus Williams lost their first doubles match together in four years.
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Zverev, who won the French Open and finished runner-up at Wimbledon this year, defeated Terrance Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6) in the third round.
The German finished off the Frenchman with a backhand down the line, according to the ATP Tour.
Serena and Venus Williams, with 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals, were reuniting for the first time since the 2022 US Open. They lost 6-2, 1-6, 10-8 to American Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.
“It was fun and special. We kicked off a little rust,” Serena Williams said. “I didn’t come here to win this tournament. It’s about having fun and I did want to do the best I could.”
The Williams sisters lost serve once in the first set and six of the final seven games, but dominated the second set. They rallied from 8-2 down in the third-set tie-breaker before falling on a Venus double fault.
Men’s fifth seed Alex de Minaur advanced after multiple rain interruptions, beating Arthur Fery 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). The Australian was up a set and 5-1 when play was halted for 30 minutes before Fery caught fire.
“You never want to go into a rain delay leading 5-1,” de Minaur said. “It was a tough day with all the interruptions.”
He next faces France’s Arthur Fils, who upset ninth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3.
Teenage Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-1, will next face Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli. Cobolli rallied from a break down in the third set to beat Alexander Blockx 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina also advanced after two rain stoppages, defeating Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). Former world number one Iga Swiatek and third seed Jesica Pegula also won their matches.