"Practice with Da GOAT" - Sachia Vickery practices with Serena Williams and Venus Williams ahead of US Open swing
After the pandemic struck, Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian built a court similar to the US Open surface for her to practice. Ahead of the upcoming North American tour, the 23-time Grand Slam champion has been sweating it out on the same court alongside her sister Venus Williams.
World No. 179 Sachia Vickery of America took to social media to share a couple of short videos, where she can be seen practicing with the Williams sisters one by one. The first clip shows Serena and Vickery hitting light forehands and backhands at each other, while Venus replaces Serena in the second.
getting ready for her return to the hard courts. 
Sachia Vickery and Serena Williams practicing earlier this morning in Florida. The 🐐 getting ready for her return to the hard courts. 🔥 https://t.co/J3ZJpKBa1R
"Practice with Da GOAT @serenawilliams," Vickery wrote on Instagram stories.
🏼♂️ Sachia and Venus Williams also took to the practice courts today. Vee's return is less than a week away. 
🏼When hitting with one legend is not enough. 💁🏼♂️ Sachia and Venus Williams also took to the practice courts today. Vee's return is less than a week away. 🙌🏼 https://t.co/qKTMFQFOvD
"Practice number 2 also the GOAT @venuswilliams not me hitting back to back with 2 legends," Vickery wrote.
Venus, Serena Williams return to the US Open series after 2 years
Neither of the Williams sisters played any of the Masters 1000 events in America or the US Open last year due to leg injuries. Serena suffered a torn hamstring in the first round of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, forcing her to retire mid-match and miss the next 12 months of action. She returned to the court for this year's Wimbledon but crashed out in the first round due to lack of match practice.
Serena is set to play the National Bank Open, to be held from August 8-14 in Toronto, followed by the Cincinnati Masters, scheduled for August 15-21, and finally the US Open, beginning on August 29. Since 2015, this will be the first time that the 40-year-old legend has participated in all three events. Serena has won the Rogers Cup and the Cincinnati Open thrice and twice, respectively.
Although Venus Williams will join Serena for the National Bank Open in Toronto, she will start her campaign a little earlier with the Citi Open, to be held from August 1-7. The 42-year-old star has received wilcard entries in the singles category for both the events. The seven-time Grand Slam winner has not played a singles match since August 2021, when she lost to Hsieh Su-wei in the first round of the Chicago Open.
Inspired by her sister, Venus returned to action at Wimbledon this year but in the mixed doubles category, where she teamed up with Andy Murray's brother Jamie Murray. The pair won their first match before losing in the second round.