Serena and Venus Williams knocked out of doubles’ play by Czech duo at US Open
Serena and Venus Williams went down 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a 6-hour marathon on Friday to the world’s No 1 doubles pair, Carla Suarez Navarro and Daniela Hantuchová, at the US Open. Read more: http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/18793592#ixzz2p7QOtqH
Serena had to come from behind to edge Hantuchová, the top seed, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in the deciding rubber.
The loss, which left the US Open pair 12 behind the top duo, dropped Serena to 8-1 in major singles matches under the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
She has won just one singles title since last June at the US Open.
Venus had to beat an opponent ranked 40th in the world to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2013 US Open.
She needed to beat another player ranked inside the top 200, American Madison Keys, with world No. 13.
But Keys, seeded 13th, stunned Williams 6-3, 6-0 in the third singles to leave the four-time major singles champion without a match point.
It is the second time in just over two months in which Serena has had to come from behind to beat the world No 1.
Serena’s biggest comeback came in the fifth set against Hantuchová at Wimbledon and it was not enough to get past the world No 1.
Suarez Navarro and Daniela Hantuchová had to go all the way on Friday to win 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 in their sixth career US Open final.
Suarez Navarro and Daniela Hantuchová have made six career Grand Slam quarter-final appearances