The Queen of Queens was back on her thrown Saturday, as 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams returned to the US Open.
And she arrived in style by bringing back an old look: a denim skirt similar to the one she sported while competing in New York in 2004, when she fell to Jennifer Capriati in a controversial quarterfinal matchup.
That match, which was plagued by poor umpiring, was cited later when electronic line-calling was introduced to Grand Slam tennis.
Saturday was the first visit to the U.S. Open by Williams since 2022, when she played there in the final tournament of her career. She made it to the third round then before losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in her last match, although Williams was careful not to say she was retiring, but rather described it as ‘evolving’ away from professional tennis.
She’s been plenty busy ever since, pursuing her business interests, signing a book deal, putting out a documentary series currently airing on ESPN and, in July, hosting the ESPYS. Williams gave birth to her second daughter a year ago.
Serena Williams (C) watches the match between Jannik Sinner and Christopher O’Connell
Serena Williams, far left, watches play between Tommy Paul and Gabriel Dialo
The 42-year-old American won six singles championships at the U.S. Open — tied with Chris Evert for the most — during her decades of dominance with a racket in her hands. This time Williams was sitting in a suite in Arthur Ashe Stadium while Jannik Sinner, the No. 1-ranked man, earned a straight-set victory in the third round against Chris O’Connell.
Williams made her way around the grounds, checking out American Tommy Paul’s win at Louis Armstrong Stadium and stopping by the players’ gym at one point for a chat with the current women’s No. 1, Iga Swiatek, who was scheduled to play on Saturday night.
One of Williams’ good friends, 2018 Australian Open champion and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, joked after winning Saturday to get to the fourth round that she was disappointed not to have spotted Williams in the spectator seats on the Grandstand.
‘I’m going to text her,’ Wozniacki said with a laugh. ‘I’m pretty mad at her for not showing up at my match. … I think we have to talk about that a little bit later.’
Williams had a similar skirt Saturday to the one she wore during her 2004 loss to Capriati
Williams attends Day Six of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Williams is seen in the stands applying some lip gloss during third-round action
Despite Williams’ absence from the sport, tennis is having a moment, starting with the new Zendaya film, Challengers, and its use of the sport as a backdrop for its three-person love story.
Roland Garros serves as a setting in Season 4, Episode 1 of ‘Emily in Paris,’ there’s a recently released docuseries about Williams and Roger Federer and an upcoming show about Carlos Alcaraz, not to mention Williams’ turn as host of the ESPYs, and the roles played by Coco Gauff, Rafael Nadal, Amelie Mauresmo and Williams in the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics.
‘Tennis is very deeply intertwined in the culture and the zeitgeist now. And it’s great to see,’ said Jill Smoller, the longtime agent for Williams. ‘With all the movies and TV, the continued crossover between sports and fashion – in almost every sector, you’re seeing some athlete, somewhere, being represented.’
The sport is emerging from a golden era on the court, with Williams claiming a women’s-record 23 Grand Slam singles titles before walking away in 2022, Novak Djokovic up to 24 and still going, Nadal at 22 and Federer, who announced his retirement two years ago, at 20.
Now there is a new group of young stars. There’s the No. 1-ranked woman, Iga Swiatek, who already owns five major championships at age 23. Alcaraz has four, including the past two at the French Open and Wimbledon, and he’s 21. Gauff, whose first Slam trophy came at Flushing Meadows a year ago, is 20.
