Cincinnati Masters: Williams sisters fall while Zverev advances
Serena and Venus Williams were defeated in their first doubles match since 2022 at the Cincinnati Masters. Meanwhile, top-seeded Alexander Zverev advanced to the fourth round after a hard-fought victory against Terrance Atmane.
Why it matters
The return of the Williams sisters to professional tennis draws significant media attention due to their historical impact on the sport.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams lost in their first doubles match together since 2022 while men's top seed Alexander Zverev battled into the fourth round on Monday (August 17, 2026) at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.
The Williams sisters, with 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals together, were side-by-side for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open but lost to American Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.
"It was fun and special. We kicked off a little rust," Ms. 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."
German star Zverev, the reigning French Open champion, won his ATP season-best 46th match of the campaign by defeating Terrance Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).
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