Venus Williams made a triumphant return to singles tennis at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, defeating 23-year-old Peyton Stearns 6–3, 6–4 on Tuesday (July 22). The former World No. 1 secured her first tour-level singles win in nearly two years, needing just 1 hour and 37 minutes to seal the match. At 45, she became the oldest woman to win a WTA match since Martina Navratilova in 2004, and the oldest player to win a singles match at tour level in 21 years. This was also her first singles victory since beating then-World No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati in 2023.
Venus Williams who is seven-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion and is already the oldest active player on tour, returned to action after a 16-month singles break and made an instant impact. The DC crowd—which included NBA superstar Kevin Durant—witnessed a vintage Venus performance filled with grit and poise. A day earlier, she partnered with Hailey Baptiste in women’s doubles, securing a 6–3, 6–1 win over Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue in her first doubles match in three years.
Post-match, Venus joked, “I’m just trying to figure out how many wins will it take before I’m off COBRA… I gotta just keep winning until my insurance kicks back in.” Despite her humor, she acknowledged the emotional weight of the win, calling it “a beautiful night” shared with friends, family, and adoring fans.
Up next for Venus is world No. 24 Magdalena Fręch, who advanced with a straight-set win over qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva. While the road ahead is tough, Venus has already proved she remains a formidable force on the court. Nicknamed “the queen of comebacks,” she continues to inspire generations by rewriting what’s possible at 45.
Venus credits her return to passion, not pressure. With power, precision, and persistence still in her game, she may be in for a deeper run at the DC Open.
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Karan Singh Rathod is a dedicated sports journalist known for his sharp attention to detail and flair for storytelling. With over a year of experience in writing and editorial work, he blends thorough research with compelling narratives to deliver engaging sports content. A passionate follower of football and cricket, he starts his mornings with a newspaper to stay updated with sports, fashion, and current affairs. Outside of journalism, Karan enjoys traveling and discovering new destinations.
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