Latest news with #Venus Williams
Fox News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Tennis great Venus Williams accepts DC Open wild card invitation for first tournament in over a year
Venus Williams will be back on the tennis courts once again after last competing over a year ago. The seven-time Grand Slam champion accepted a wild card invitation to compete at the DC Open later this month, marking her first tournament in 16 months. She last competed at the Miami Open in 2024, where she was eliminated in straight sets by 19-year-old Diana Shnaider. "There's something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history," Williams said in a statement. "This city has always shown me so much love, and I can't wait to compete there again!" Williams, who turned 45 last month, is listed as an inactive player on the WTA website, and she was last ranked no. 970 in 2024. Still, the decorated women's tennis pro will return to the nation's capital next Saturday for a chance to compete. "We are so excited that Venus will be playing in the Mubadala Citi DC Open this year," tournament chairman Mark Ein said in a statement. "She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court. I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer." Williams has won five Wimbledon titles and two U.S. Open titles. She also won 16 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles and is a four-time Olympic gold medalist. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Venus Williams, 45, accepts wildcard invitation to DC Open
Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month's DC Open, which would be the seven-time grand slam champion's first tournament in more than a year. Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as 'inactive' on the WTA Tour's website. She hasn't competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024. 'There's something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,' Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. 'This city has always shown me so much love, and I can't wait to compete there again.' Williams also played in the nation's capital in 2022. 'She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,' said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. 'I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.' In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn't. Williams' most recent grand slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon – after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee – and the US Open. Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 US Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals. The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Venus Williams, 45, accepts wildcard invitation to DC Open
Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month's DC Open, which would be the seven-time grand slam champion's first tournament in more than a year. Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as 'inactive' on the WTA Tour's website. She hasn't competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024. 'There's something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,' Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. 'This city has always shown me so much love, and I can't wait to compete there again.' Williams also played in the nation's capital in 2022. 'She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,' said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. 'I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.' In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn't. Williams' most recent grand slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon – after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee – and the US Open. Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 US Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals. The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Venus Williams accepts a wild card for the DC Open. She hasn't competed in more than a year
Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month's DC Open, which would be the seven-time Grand Slam champion's first tournament in more than a year. Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as 'inactive' on the WTA Tour's website. Advertisement She hasn't competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024. 'There's something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,' Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. "This city has always shown me so much love, and I can't wait to compete there again.' Williams also played in the nation's capital in 2022. 'She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,' said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. "I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.' Advertisement In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn't. Williams' most recent Grand Slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon — after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee — and the U.S. Open. Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 U.S. Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals. The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain. Advertisement ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis: Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Venus Williams accepts a wild card for the DC Open. She hasn't competed in more than a year
Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month's DC Open, which would be the seven-time Grand Slam champion's first tournament in more than a year. Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as 'inactive' on the WTA Tour's website. Advertisement She hasn't competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024. 'There's something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,' Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. "This city has always shown me so much love, and I can't wait to compete there again.' Williams also played in the nation's capital in 2022. 'She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,' said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. "I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.' Advertisement In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn't. Williams' most recent Grand Slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon — after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee — and the U.S. Open. Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 U.S. Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals. The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain. ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis:
