U.S. Open: Another doubles disaster spells trouble for Serena, Venus Williams 

The Williams sisters were knocked out by Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in a match that saw Serena – who faces Flavia Penneta Wednesday in a women’s singles quarterfinal - limp for 1 hour and 48 minutes on a bandaged right ankle. Serena's Wimbledon meltdown already showed what an overloaded schedule can do to her, while Venus needs all the energy she can muster to fight off the symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

 

Tuesday, September 2, 2014, 4:08 PM

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HOWARD SIMMONS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSThe Williams sisters get knocked out of the U.S. Open by Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.

There are rules that apply to everybody else in tennis, and then rules for the Williams sisters. It is the price paid for keeping them around, for having the two divas light up the U.S. Open and pack the stadiums as the celebrity home team.

So on Monday, after Serena and Venus were knocked out of the doubles tournament inside crowded Ashe Stadium, they did not appear for a mandated press conference, because they never do. They don't talk after their doubles matches, unless they win the title, and they don't necessarily get fined for not talking. Everybody tiptoes around the sisters, because everyone understands the demands on their time and their position of power in the sport.

"It's a unique situation," said one tennis official.

And so, also, it was impossible to ask Serena directly what on earth she was thinking about when she just kept limping and playing for 1 hour, 48 minutes on a right ankle that was wrapped from the start and was bandaged even heavier as the match dragged into the afternoon. Serena requested a 10-minute medical timeout during the second set, at which time that joint was packaged like a precious stained glass window.

In lieu of a post-match press conference, a WTA official was dispatched to the women's locker room, where Serena told him quickly that the problem was insignificant.

"Nothing to worry about, just a re-tape," she insisted.

JOHN MINCHILLO/APSerena Williams (l.) has her ankle re-taped during Tuesday's loss in doubles with sister Venus.

The Williams sisters eventually lost their quarterfinal match to Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 7-6 (5), 6-4. Serena double-faulted on match point, finally ending the ill-conceived contest. But that's not the issue, is it? Serena, 32, has a quarterfinal match Wednesday against Flavia Pennetta, a patient baseliner from Italy. Serena didn't belong out there in the first place, and may pay a price for her attendance.

It was extremely hot on Tuesday and will be nearly as steamy again on Wednesday. We saw at Wimbledon what an overloaded schedule can do to Serena, who fell apart there in eerie fashion. No one really knows what happened then, why Serena was forced to retire in the second round after appearing oddly woozy. The incident was reported as a viral illness, though we are never allowed to get close enough to the Williamses to find out much -- especially since their accessible father no longer travels to the majors.

Now Serena has this ankle problem that surely won't help win her first major of the season. Even if she gets by Pennetta, her personal patsy, Serena is likely to find things much tougher in a possible semifinal matchup against Victoria Azarenka.

Many people - including their coaches, past and present - have advised the sisters to stop playing doubles in these tournaments, to preserve their energy as they grow older and as Venus fights off the symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome. In response, Venus has grown even more insistent and vocal about continuing the tradition.

After the Wimbledon disaster, Venus made a point of saying it was good that Serena went out there and tried to play.

HOWARD SIMMONS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSVenus (l.) and Serena Williams have more important things to do than play doubles tennis.

"I'm really proud of her for trying because we just love playing doubles together," Venus said.

Venus reiterated here that the sisters take their doubles titles very seriously. It may be time, however, for Venus to don the big sister cloak that she wears so well, to make a decision for both of them to stop spreading themselves so thin. As David Witt, Venus's coach said earlier at the Open, "If you play doubles, you have to realize it takes away energy from singles."

Doubles may now represent the best chance for Venus to win another major title, and to make one last U.S. Olympic team. It's harder to see, though, how it's aiding Serena.

The best news for Serena on Tuesday was that the sisters lost their match, that she won't have to limp around again on Thursday and Saturday, sandwiched between her singles matches. That last double fault was heaven sent. You can't please all the people all the time, and that includes your beloved sister.