In what may well be her final match, time finally ran out for Venus Williams at this year’s US Open as she and doubles partner Leylah Fernandez were thrashed in less than an hour on Tuesday.

The pair, who are 23 years apart, developed a refreshing chemistry over the last week, and Williams, 45, consistently packed Louis Armstrong Stadium after ending her 16-month hiatus from the sport earlier this year.

There were even suggestions that this match should have been on Arthur Ashe after Marketa Vondrousova pulled out of her quarterfinal against Aryna Sabalenka just two hours before it was set to go ahead.

Ultimately, though, this crowd’s encouragement was easily nullified by No. 1 doubles team Taylor Towsend and Katerina Siniakova, who earned a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 quarterfinal victory to move into the last four.

And while fans were also happy for fellow American Townsend to advance, this was assuredly a (quick) spectacle defined by Williams’ presence.

Venus Williams’ US Open doubles run came to an end on Tuesday in brutal fashion

Williams waved goodbye to the fans – possibly for the last time – following the match

On court after the match, Townsend was asked about her earliest memories watching the opponent she had dispatched just moments before, and said that it was an ‘honor’ sharing the court with Venus.

And the biggest cheer of the night came not after a winner or ace, but when Williams waved goodbye to the crowd following the match – perhaps for the final time.

She had also competed in the tournament’s new-look mixed doubles competition, and pushed Karolina Muchova to a third set in a spirited first-round singles effort, but her most electrifying moments this year came alongside Fernandez, whom she had never played doubles with before.

Their win together in the fourth round was even followed by Venus urging her sister Serena to come watch her in New York. ‘You need to show up,’ she said.

Against Townsend and Siniakova though – winners of this year’s Australian Open doubles title and last year’s Wimbledon crowd – Williams’ new partnership finally faltered in just 56 minutes.

Townsend, if not for all the reasons she would have wanted, has had her own moment in the spotlight this tournament following her clash with Jelana Ostapenko and impressive run to the singles fourth round.

And she showed that she’s certainly a draw for fans in her own right as she and Siniakova fired 19 winners past their opponents.

The pair are now just two wins away from lifting their first US Open together – after taking out a tennis icon in Williams along the way.

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