Rodionova sisters reunite to shock seeds in US Open doubles

Venus and Serena Williams may not be at the final major tournament of 2021, but US Open fans were treated to a sister act all the same on Thursday as Arina Rodionova reunited with elder sister Anastasia to shock No. 4 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Demi Schuurs, 6-2, 6-4.

The Rodionovas have been a dynamic duo in years past, playing the 2016 Rio Olympics in addition to making two WTA finals and the last eight of the 2016 Australian Open, but the Aussies only recently resumed their partnership as Anastasia took time off court to become a mom.

“It feels surreal,” Anastasia said after the match. “I didn’t think I’d ever be back playing, especially with the pandemic and how difficult it is to travel with my kid. I guess the stars lined up and we’re here playing. If you’d asked me two months ago, I would have said I was done, but here we are, actually playing a Slam with my sister.”

The siblings were both visiting their parents in Russia after Wimbledon when a chance practice session motivated “Nastya” into making a comeback.

It’s definitely very special and I think we both got pretty emotional at the end. We both cried! During the match, I didn’t think much about it but once we won, it all kind of hit me. It’s just so nice to have your family playing on the same side of the court as you. I’ll remember it for a long time. Arina Rodionova

“She started saying, ‘I’m hitting the ball pretty well; do you think I should try playing the US Open?’” Arina recalled. “I was like, ‘I don’t have a partner, so let’s play!’”

“She had no one to practice with and she asked me about my special ranking,” Anastasia added later, having opted to freeze her ranking when she left the tour in 2019. “That’s when we decided and I said, ‘I only have five weeks but I think I can do it.’”

The two attempted a test run at the inaugural Tennis in the Land Open, where Anastasia first encountered Hawkeye Live.

“There was a very close call, and a late call. I was looking at the mark, and when I went to look up at the linesman, there was no one there! It took me a while to realize we don’t have them anymore. Otherwise, the court is still the same, the same size! I played on that court before at the US Open and I felt like I belonged there.”

Shaking off the Cleveland defeat to top seeds Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara, the Rodionovas were in peak form against Melichar-Martinez and Schuurs, who reached the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year.

“It’s definitely very special and I think we both got pretty emotional at the end,” Arina said. “We both cried! During the match, I didn’t think much about it but once we won, it all kind of hit me. It’s just so nice to have your family playing on the same side of the court as you. I’ll remember it for a long time.”

Often prone to frustration in the past, Anastasia noted a definite shift in her on-court attitude, which was on display as she calmly served out the higher-ranked team in a tense final game.

“I felt good on the court and I actually did feel like I haven’t left,” she said. “I didn’t feel awkward on the court or anything. I would say I was enjoying playing more than before, and the actual competition. I was soaking up the atmosphere of being at a Slam. I really missed the competition.”

Into the second round where either Kaitlyn Christian and Nao Hibino or Anhelina Kalinina and Renata Voracova await, Arina is unsure where the band will play next due to the continuing pandemic affecting her travel schedule.

“Being from Australia, it’s a struggle to get home, so I’m not even sure what my plans are,” Arina admitted. “I’m just trying to get home but it seems to be impossible right now. It’s so hard to plan anything right now.”

I would say I was enjoying playing more than before, and the actual competition. I was soaking up the atmosphere of being at a Slam. I really missed the competition. Anastasia Rodionova

Based in Florida with her husband and son Max, Anastasia is more philosophical, clearly reinvigorated by the result and eager to see where this encore will take her.

“I have to see how my son reacts to being away from home,” she said. “That’s the main thing right now; he’s the priority, so I’ll have to fit my schedule to his. We haven’t made any plans, but I do enjoy being on court and I’d like to play a little bit more. How long, and how much? I don’t know; it’s day by day and week by week right now.”

Wherever she plays, she can count on two-year-old Max to be her most dedicated fan in the stands.

“I was shocked that he actually stayed still the entire match! My friend was looking after him and said he didn’t even ask for the pacifier for most of the match. It feels like he gives me extra energy and an extra boost. I feel him nearby when I’m playing these matches and I do feel his support.”