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Venus Williams tells Serena to 'show up' at US Open after elder sister and Leylah Fernandez reach doubles quarter-finals in New York

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Venus Williams and partner Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles at the US Open, beating Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 6-3 6-4 in front of a raucous crowd in New York. But now Williams is calling on sister Serena, with whom she last won this title back in 2009, to pay a visit to Flushing Meadows to cheer the team on.

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Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are marching on in New York.

This year’s buzz doubles pairing took out the No. 12 seeds Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 6-3 6-4 in their round-of-16 tie on Monday night.

But while plenty of celebrities have graced the US Open already, including Anna Wintour, Simone Biles and Rory McIlroy, there is one legend that has been conspicuous by her absence.

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Serena Williams has reportedly been watching her 45-year-old sister play from home, and has even been offering advice. But as of yet, she has not been seen court side.

"She’s so happy for Leylah and I. She’s given us advice. And really we just need her in the [player] box. So my message is, 'Serena, you need to show up'," Venus joked on court after the victory.

But there might be a very good reason Serena has not been sighted - and it is to do with how Venus Williams and Fernandez might treat her if she does come back to the scene of six of her major victories.

"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," the elder Williams sister said in her press conference.

Leylah Fernandez of Canada (L) and partner Venus Williams of the United States celebrate after defeating Shuai Zhang of China and Ekaterina Alexandrova

Image credit: Getty Images

"It's probably best she doesn't come because we'd probably bully her!"

Having knocked out the No. 6 and now No. 12 seeds, the task gets tougher for Williams and Fernandez, as they next face the world No. 1 pairing Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the quarter-finals.

So if Serena is going to pay a visit, she might be running out of opportunities.

"Yeah, she didn't have any advice for you, so I guess you're playing perfect," Williams said to Fernandez, before revealing what her little sister had been offering in terms of help.

"She gave me a pep talk and made sure to call me today. I was, like, 'you're right. I got it'. She's definitely coaching from afar. She's so excited.

"She gets so nervous watching, and she's got the kids watching, they're all at home, just really on our side. We've got, like, I don't know, three coaches now? Serena's on the coaching team?"

The Williams sisters won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including two in New York.

They also won three Olympic gold medals, and Venus hinted that the doubles is where she might bow out of the game - despite playing in the singles this year, losing to Karolina Muchova in the first round in three tough sets.

"Doubles was very important to us, and we focused always playing at the majors because we wanted the major titles. And we wanted the Olympic golds, too," she said.

"So doubles has been a huge part of our career because those were titles that have your name by them, and that's a wonderful feeling.

"Also, to be in the Olympics and play for your country and just to compete at all is amazing.

"Those were honours for us. We wanted to really show up huge for that. Doubles has been really pivotal.

"Now it's an interesting way to start playing doubles again, right? So sometimes it's the place to start and the place to finish, too."

Serena last played at the US Open in 2022, losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round.

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