The 45-year-old American and her 22-year-old Canadian partner needed just 74 minutes to seal the win in front of a packed crowd on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The pair, who only teamed up after receiving a wild-card entry, are now 3-0 without dropping a set at Flushing Meadows.
“Serena, you need to show up”
After the match, Venus made a playful plea for her legendary doubles partner and sister, Serena Williams, to make an appearance.
“She’s so happy for Leylah and I, and she’s given us advice,” Venus said. “We just need her in the box. So, my message is, ‘Serena, you need to show up.’”
The Williams sisters famously won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, and while Serena hasn’t competed since the 2022 US Open, Venus said her sister remains deeply involved from afar.
“She gave me a pep talk and made sure to call me today. She’s definitely coaching from afar. She gets so nervous watching, and she’s got the kids watching. They’re all at home, really on our side. I was even sent a video of my nieces yelling my name.”
Bond with Fernandez
Williams has described Fernandez as her best doubles partner other than Serena, the 2021 US Open singles runner-up has quickly clicked with her veteran teammate.
“We’re on the same wavelength, and hopefully we can keep it going,” said Venus.
Fernandez added: “I have full confidence in Venus, and I hope she has full confidence in me. We’re just going out there, playing our game — being offensive, aggressive, and ready for the ball.”
With the stands packed and fans queueing to get in, the pair are quickly becoming one of the feel-good stories of the tournament.
Venus joked that if Serena did show up, she might be pushed into action.
“If she came, it would be a dream for both of us and we’d have her on the court coaching. We’d force her to hit, even though she doesn’t hit often. It’s probably best she doesn’t come because we’d probably bully her,” Venus laughed.
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