Venus Williams believes she still has a future competing in singles after her return to the US Open came to an end with defeat in the quarter-finals of the doubles with Leylah Fernandez.
Williams, 45, received a wildcard into the US Open in her first grand slam appearance in two years and played in all three formats, including a three-set defeat to 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round of the singles.
Her quarter-final run in the doubles alongside Fernandez was halted by top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who won 6-1 6-2 in just 56 minutes on Louis Armstrong Arena.
Williams received a standing ovation as she left the court with Townsend and Siniakova, who have won two grand slam doubles titles as a pair, joining in with the applause.
And Williams said she has no plans to only concentrate on doubles from now on and is determined to work on improving her game after spending 16 months away from competition.
“I think out there Leylah and I, we kept telling each other to be the best singles player we could be,” Williams said. “So our focus will always be singles. I’m not going to suddenly become a doubles player. I never did, I never will. It’s the singles for me.
“I think after this tournament I can really see where I want to improve, what I can work on. I think that it’s all great feedback. But also, I had a lot of chances to play a lot of matches here, which is what I would desperately need to get better.
“I saw myself improving so much with every match I was playing. In a lot of ways, we just ran out of time. I wish I could have played better today for Leylah. I blame myself for a lot of it. I just wasn’t there. I think with a few matches I could have been a stronger partner today.
“We played a great team. They have been playing together for years. They’ve had a lot of success. They just had a little bit more time to pull it all together than we did. We wish them luck.”
Williams confirmed she plans to play again this season and added: “I’m so thankful to the USTA for supporting me and my effort here. It would have not been possible without them and them believing in me to be out here.
“I think what I’m proudest of is it’s not easy to come off the bench. It really isn’t, and I have never had a layoff that long. It brought new challenges that I wasn’t ready for in so many ways.
“I’m very proud that I was just stayed myself. I didn’t try to play another game. I didn’t try to play it safe. I went for it, and that’s who I am. I go for it. Perhaps I didn’t get there this time, but I know who I am, and I know that I can work once I have a little chance.”
Even in defeat, Williams drew admiration from her opponents. “It’s tough to describe it in words, it’s a privilege. She is a legend and I really enjoyed it,” Siniakova said of facing Venus, who claimed 14 grand slam doubles titles pairing with her sister Serena.
“Growing up watching Venus and (her sister) Serena, for me and my sister, it was an inspiration,” Townsend added during her on-court interview. “It was an honour to share the court today.”
