Venus Williams Said This Latina is the Best Partner She’s Played With — Well, Besides Serena
Leylah Fernandez, left, of Canada, and Venus Williams, of the United States, celebrate a win during a third-round doubles match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are moving on to the U.S. Open quarterfinals and looking like a very strong doubles team. Williams, who often played doubles with her sister Serena Williams when they were both active, needs no introduction. Fernandez, who is only 22, might not be as famous, but she’s been making a name for herself on the WTA.
Canadian Fernandez, whose father and coach is Ecuadorian and her mother Filipina, is currently ranked No. 30 in the world. She rose to prominence as a 19-year-old when she reached the finals of the US Open. Like Venus Williams, she has often played doubles with her sister, Bianca Fernandez. But when the tennis great needed a doubles partner, Leylah didn’t act like the shoes of Serena Williams were too big for her to fill.
The two, who were awarded a wildcard into the draw, have now knocked out two seeded doubles pairs and have yet to lose a set in their three victories.
“Thank you to my partner, too,” Williams said after one of their US Open matches. “It’s the best partner I’ve ever played with outside of Serena. I think we’re almost the same. We play the same style. I’m just a little bit bigger. We’re a great team, though.”
And according to Venus Williams, her sister Serena thinks so too. “She’s so happy for Leylah and I, she’s given us advice, and we just need her in the box, so my message is ‘Serena, you need to show up’.”
High praise for Fernandez, who later said about Williams’ words. “I was shocked. It was probably the biggest compliment I’ve ever gotten.”
Later, Fernandez even jokingly apologized to Serena Williams for stealing her partner, calling Venus “pretty awesome.”
The two will now face Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková in the quarterfinals.