ROME, Italy – Defending Olympic gold medal team Serena Williams and Venus Williams took a wildcard into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and rekindled their doubles partnership for the first time since 2014.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Rome right here on wtatennis.com!

Even though their first doubles venture in almost two years ended in a straight sets loss to the all-Slovenian team of Andreja Klepac and Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 7-5, the Williams sisters showed flashes of the prowess that saw them win 21 titles together, including back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

Venus, who had played her opening singles match a few hours before, admitted that fatigue could have played a factor in her doubles loss.

“I haven’t done that in a long time,” Venus said in her post match press conference. “But I knew what was going to happen going into it. Even if you get tired, you have to try to ignore it. I felt okay.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about it anymore this week. Hopefully I’ll have that problem for two weeks in the French Open.That would be an awesome problem to have.”

The packed crowed on Court 1 was witness to lots of flubbed errors and mistiming from Venus and Serena – who are both also competing in singles here in Rome – as they looked to shake off the rust and narrowly avoid a shut out in the first set. They showed their grit in the second, mounting a comeback from 4-2 down, but the Slovenians closed them out to book a second-round clash against the No.2 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.

Despite the disappointing result, the Williams sisters have their eye on the future, including competing in Roland Garros and trying for a fourth gold medal at the Sumer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“We haven’t played doubles in a while,” Serena said in her press conference yesterday. “Obviously we would love to play in the Olympics.

“I love playing with Venus. She’s the best partner, and hopefully she feels the same about me. We make a great team.”

As the Olympic race takes shape, lots of same-country doubles teams looking to get as much doubles action in as possible. Serena and Venus are the defending gold medal team, and will likely use their combined singles rankings to gain direct entry into the 32-team draw, as explained by WTA Insider.