Venus Williams: Fernandez Doubles (A US Open Revival)
At the 2025 U.S. Open, 45-year-old Venus Williams has teamed up with 22-year-old Canadian rising star Leylah Fernandez for women’s doubles. This wildcard pairing quickly captured headlines and hearts as they made a compelling run into the quarterfinals.
A Legendary Pairing That Came Out of Nowhere
This marks a highly unusual yet inspired pairing, as Venus previously almost exclusively played doubles with her sister Serena. In fact, Fernandez is just the fourth non-Serena partner Venus has ever teamed with. Yahoo Sports Their unexpected success—especially for players with minimal shared history—is a true sporting story of chemistry and timing.
Highlights of Their US Open Journey
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Wild-card entry: They received a doubles wildcard at the U.S. Open, signaling confidence in the untested duo.
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Round 1 upset: A dramatic comeback from 2-5 down in the first set to beat the No. 6 seeds Ellen Perez and Lyudmyla Kichenok, 7-6, 6-3.
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Round 2 victory: A confident win over Eri Hozumi and Ulrikke Eikeri, 7-6(1), 6-1, showcasing Fernandez’s excitement and Venus’s composure.
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Round 3 surge: They took down the 12th seeds Ekaterina Alexandrova and Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.
Their performance fuses veteran poise with youthful spark—Fernandez admires Venus as her idol, likening herself to a “sponge” learning from a legend.
Serena’s Cheer from Afar
Although Serena Williams is retired, her presence looms large. She’s been providing advice and pep talks from home—and Venus humorously invited her to actually show up in the box. Serena even made a playful TikTok about Venus partnering with Fernandez. The emotional connection and family dynamic add another layer of depth to this doubles fairy tale.
Profile of the Doubles Partner: Leylah Fernandez
Leylah Annie Fernandez, born September 6, 2002 in Montreal, Canada, is a rising star with impressive credentials:
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Turned pro: 2019
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Career-high singles ranking: No. 13 (August 2022)
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Career-high doubles ranking: No. 17 (October 2023)
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Career prize money: approximately US$ 6.9 million
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Notable achievements: US Open singles finalist (2021), several WTA titles and strong doubles results Wikipedia
Teaming with Venus this year, Fernandez is still chasing her first major title—singles or doubles. SI Her current U.S. Open doubles run marks one of her deepest showings at the Grand Slam level, tying into her quarterfinal finish in 2023.
Venus Williams’s Net Worth: From Courts to Commerce
Net Worth Estimates: $65M vs. $95M
There’s a range of figures floating regarding Venus’s net worth:
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CelebrityNetWorth (updated Aug 26, 2025) estimates it at $65 million.
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Finance-Monthly (July 2025) offers a higher figure: $95 million, backed by prize money, endorsements, fashion ventures, and real estate.
The latter breakdown:
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Tennis earnings: ~$42 million
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Endorsements: ~$30 million
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Apparel & business (EleVen, V Starr): ~$10 million/year
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Real estate assets: ~$17.7 million
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Vehicles & luxury goods: ~$3 million
Why the Discrepancy?
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CelebrityNetWorth tends to use conservative, publicly verified data.
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Finance-Monthly includes business valuations and real estate, often inflating figures through projections.
Given Venus’s diverse ventures—like her interior design studio V Starr Interiors and apparel line EleVen—as well as endorsements, the upper estimate may be closer to the mark for her overall wealth.
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