NEW YORK — In the end, there was no fanfare.
When Venus and Serena Williams lost what appears to be their last doubles match Thursday night at sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium, they quickly packed their bags, waved briefly to the crowd and walked together to the locker room.
The novel pairing of 37-year-old Lucie Hradecka and 17-year-old Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic was too much in a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win.
It wasn’t quite the last-dance scenario some might have envisioned before the tournament began. The soon-to-be-retiring Serena plays Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday night for a spot in the singles Round of 16.
Venus, who has yet to discuss her future plans, did not offer any further clarity. It was doubles that allowed her to sidestep the retirement question from reporters after losing a first-round match to Alison Van Uytvanck.
“Right now,” she told reporters, “I’m just focused on the doubles.”
So, too, was much of the tennis world. Women’s doubles were featured in an Ashe night match for the first time in a decade.
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Venus served the opening game, and it ended in vintage Williams fashion — a big serve from Venus and a sharply angled (though two-handed) volley winner from Serena. The match proceeded in orderly fashion and, after 63 minutes, arrived at a tiebreak.
That one also played out to the end, with the Czechs winning on a huge second-serve return from Hradecka right down the alley past Venus at net.
When Serena was broken in the second set, the Czechs took a 3-0 lead. But with Hradecka serving at 4-2, 40-love, the Williamses somehow reeled them back in to get back on serve. With Serena serving at 4-5, the Czechs broke her, converting their second match point on a Hradecka volley winner.
According to Venus, it was Serena’s idea to play doubles.
“She’s the boss,” Venus said, “so do whatever she tells me to do. I don’t think we have played since 2016, but might be getting that wrong.”
For the record, the last time they played together was 2018 at Roland Garros, where they lost in the Round of 16. The Williams sisters have always enjoyed playing doubles; they won their first title in Oklahoma City and, still teenagers, their first Grand Slam at the 1999 French Open.
They also won three Olympic gold medals — in 2000 (Sydney), 2008 (Beijing) and 2012 (London). They have famously reached 14 Grand Slam finals — and won all of them. The last…