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The Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Venus Williams returns to tennis after 16-month injury layoff
Venus Williams has made her return from a 16-month layoff at this week's DC Open, wowing a capacity crowd in a straight sets doubles win alongside Hailey Baptiste over Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue. She will make her singles return on Tuesday night against Peyton Stearns. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion says she is not sure of anything beyond this tournament. The 45-year-old American overcame a serious health scare last year and after enjoying a visit to Wimbledon decided to accept a wildcard into the US capital tournament, the first hardcourt tuneup for the US Open. 'I think I know what I want to do, but I don't always want to talk about it,' Williams said. 'I'm just here for now. And who knows? Maybe there is more. I hold my cards close, but at the moment, I'm focused just on this.' Williams will open her singles campaign against 23-year-old Stearns, ranked 34th in the world. Stearns won her only WTA title last year on clay at Rabat. Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste paired up for the veteran's return. Picture:The older sister of 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams has not played since a first-round loss at Miami last year. 'My personal goal is to have fun I think right now and enjoy the moment, not put too much pressure on myself,' Venus Williams said. 'I don't know if I define success at this moment in any sort of way other than believing in myself and sticking to my process. That's not easy to do, especially after a layoff. So those are my goals.' Venus Williams, the 2000 Sydney Olympic singles champion, has won five Wimbledon singles titles and two US Open crowns. The most recent of her 49 WTA titles came in 2019 at the Taiwan Open. That was the last year she played a full tour schedule. Venus Williams with her 2000 Olympic gold. Picture: Jay Town 'I definitely feel I'll play well,' Williams said. 'I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand. 'So it's about hitting big and actually putting it in. So this will be my effort. Put it in the court. That's my main goal.' A year ago, tennis was far from the most important thing on her mind. 'Yeah, my health journey was very scary. You know, this time a year ago I was preparing to go to surgery,' she said. 'There was no way for me to play tennis or play the US Open … I was just trying to get healthy. 'In this last year, I have been through a lot physically, so to come back and be able to play and hopefully enjoy myself is a great opportunity.' Venus Williams still draws a crowd. Picture:Williams was feeling well enough to accept a wildcard and a visit to Wimbledon added some inspiration. 'I had been hitting the ball and of course I love the game and the hard courts. It's my favourite surface, what I feel comfortable on. so all those different factors,' Williams said of her choice to play in Washington. 'When I went to Wimbledon this year, I was there for a day and it was so beautiful and exciting. I remembered all the times that I had, and of course the adrenaline, all those things. 'I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge, overcoming. Those things are very exciting.' The seven Slam singles titles by Williams match the rest of the Washington field, which includes four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Venus Williams makes history in win over Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns at DC Open
Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns was on the wrong side of history July 22. Playing in the Round of 32 of the DC Open at the FitzGerald Tennis Center, Stearns fell to seven-time Grand Slam Venus Williams in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Williams, who turned 45 in June, became the oldest woman to win a singles match on the WTA tour since 2004 (Martina Navratilova). Williams also won in the doubles draw alongside partner Hailey Baptiste over the duo of Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue July 21. Williams had not played in a WTA tour event since March 2024 and her last win on tour came in the 2023 Cincinnati Open. Williams reached the Cincinnati Open semifinals in 2012 and the quarterfinals in 2019. Stearns has now suffered early exits in back-to-back tournaments after falling in the first round at Wimbledon earlier this month. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: WTA: Venus Williams makes history in win over Peyton Stearns
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Venus rises: 45-year-old Venus Williams stuns at Citi Open after year-long hiatus
Oh, to be Venus Williams this week. To be 45 and beating women about half her age in both singles and doubles. To be 30 years into her professional tennis career and knocking off a solid up-and-comer and the 2022 NCAA singles champion in Peyton Stearns, the world No. 35. Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, walked onto the stadium court at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. as the sun was setting but played as though it was rising on her career. She had not played a WTA Tour match since March of 2024. She had not won one since 2023. The WTA Tour website doesn't even list her as having a ranking. Yet there she was thumping forehands and backhands across the court on the way to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Stearns, who was shaky from the start against Williams, an icon not just of tennis, not just of women's sports, but of all sports. In some ways, Stearns was an ideal opponent for Williams: a big hitter prone to erratic play on big stages. And while the Citi Open in Washington's Rock Creek Park might not seem like a big stage, once Williams asked for and received a wild card entry into the tournament — and Stearns drew her in the first round — it became the sport's most-talked-about match during a relatively quiet week on the tour as the North American hard-court swing gets underway. On Monday, Williams partnered with Hailey Baptiste in a straight-sets doubles win. She hit the ball cleanly and covered her half of the court efficiently. Her partnership with Baptiste, a rising Black American 23-year-old, made for a good story. Her solid play generated a buzz. But could she do it in singles? Indeed she could. Williams, once an endorsement queen, wore a logo-free black dress and white visor and played uncomplicated tennis, smacking nine aces and attacking at the first strike. She and Stearns traded breaks of serve to start. But then Williams mostly took control, moving Stearns around enough to induce errors and pushing her back into the court. Only four rallies lasted beyond nine shots. Williams set up a set point with a big serve, then hit a kicker that Stearns could not get back to seal the first set at 6-3. Soon, she was up a break in the second set. She stumbled briefly, rattled by a foot fault call, and lost three consecutive games. In a flash Stearns was on the front foot and leading 3-1. But then Williams once more started stepping onto the court and taking the initiative, winning four straight games as the crowd exploded to rally behind her. Serving at 3-5, Stearns saved four match points, during a game that lasted more than 12 minutes, playing some of her best tennis with her back against the wall. But Williams buckled down and climbed out of a 0-30 hole in the next game. An ace got her back even. A big serve that Stearns returned long got her yet another match point that she frittered away with a double fault. Three points later, she had another shot to seal it. One more big serve that Stearns sent into the net and the night was hers. The arms rose in the air at her 819th career victory, and soon she began spinning in the center of the court. 'Venus, Venus, Venus,' Rennae Stubbs said to her during the on-court interview. 'We were living and dying together,' she said to the crowd. Williams isn't the oldest woman to win a WTA Tour singles match. Martina Navratilova won at 47 in 2004. Still, beating No. 35 at 45 — not bad. 'It's just about putting it all together,' she said. 'I wanted to play a good match and win the match.' Williams said her fiance, Italian film star Andrea Preti, encouraged her to try to come back. It was hard but worth it. She next faces Magdalena Fręch of Poland. (Photo: Geoff Burke / Imagn Images) This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Tennis, Women's Tennis 2025 The Athletic Media Company
The Standard
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Standard
45-year-old Venus Williams becomes the oldest woman since Martina Navratilova to win a singles match
Jul 21, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Venus Williams (USA)(R) and Hailey Baptiste (USA)(R) celebrate after winning a point against Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) and Clervie Ngounoue (USA) (both not pictured) in a women's doubles match on day one of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images/File Photo
New York Times
23-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Venus rises: 45-year-old Venus Williams stuns at Citi Open after year-long hiatus
Oh, to be Venus Williams this week. To be 45 years old and beating women about half her age in both singles and doubles. To be 30 years into your professional tennis career and knocking off a solid up-and-comer and the 2022 NCAA singles champion in Peyton Stearns, the world No. 35. Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion walked onto the stadium court at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., as the sun was setting but played as though it was rising on her career. She had not played a WTA Tour match since March of 2024. She had not won one since 2023. The WTA Tour website doesn't even list her as having a ranking. Advertisement Yet there she was thumping forehands and backhands across the court against Stearns, who was shaky from the start against Williams, an icon not just of tennis, not just of women's sports, but of all sports. In some ways, Stearns was an ideal opponent for Williams: a big hitter prone to erratic play on big stages. And while the Citi Open in Washington's Rock Creek Park might not seem like a big stage, once Williams asked for and received a wild card entry into the tournament — and Stearns drew her in the first round — it became the sport's most talked about match during a relatively quiet week on the tour as the North American hard court swing gets underway. On Monday, Williams partnered with Hailey Baptiste in a straight sets doubles win. She hit the ball cleanly and covered her half of the court efficiently. Her partnership with Baptiste, a rising Black American 23-year-old made for a good story. Her solid play generated a buzz. But could she do it in singles? Indeed she could. Williams, once an endorsement queen, wore a logo-free black dress and white visor and played uncomplicated tennis, smacking nine aces and attacking at the first strike. She and Stearns traded breaks of serve to start. But then Williams mostly took control, moving Stearns around enough to induce errors and pushing her back into the court. Only four rallies lasted beyond nine shots. Williams set up a set point with a big serve, then hit a kicker that Stearns could not get back to seal the first set, 6-3. Soon, she was up a break in the second set. She stumbled briefly, rattled by a foot fault call and lost three consecutive games. In a flash Stearns was on the front foot leading 3-1. But then Williams once more started stepping onto the court and taking the initiative, winning four straight games as the crowd exploded, rallying behind her. Advertisement Serving at 3-5, Stearns saved four match points, during a final game that lasted more than 12 minutes, playing some of her best tennis with her back against the wall. But Williams buckled down and climbed out of a 0-30 hole in the next game. An ace got her back even. A big serve that Stearns returned long got her yet another match point that she frittered away with a double fault. Three points later, she had another shot to seal it. One more big serve that Stearns sent into the net and the night was hers. The arms rose in the air at her 819th career victory, and soon she began spinning in the center of the court. 'Venus, Venus, Venus,' Renae Stubbs said to her during the on-court interview. 'We were living and dying together,' she said to the crowd. Williams isn't the oldest woman to win a WTA Tour match. Martina Navratilova won at 47 in in 2004. Still, beating No. 35 at 45 — not bad. 'It's just about putting it all together,' she said. 'I wanted to play a good match and win the match.' Williams said her fiance, an Italian film star, Andrea Preti, encouraged her to try to come back. It was hard but worth it. She next faces Magdalena Frech of Poland.
