At 45 years old, Venus Williams could be forgiven for slipping quietly into tennis retirement, content with a trophy cabinet that glitters with seven Grand Slam singles titles, 14 doubles majors alongside her sister Serena, and a place in the sport’s folklore.
But on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C, the American legend reminded the world that greatness rarely fades quietly.
Under the lights at the DC Open, Williams produced a vintage display of power and poise to beat 23-year-old Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4, becoming the second-oldest woman this century to win a singles match on the WTA Tour.
The milestone puts her in rare company, trailing only Martina Navratilova, who famously won a first-round match at Wimbledon in 2004 at age 47.
It was more than just a win; it was a statement. Williams, who hadn’t played a singles match since falling to Diana Shnaider in Miami back in March 2025, looked sharp despite months away from the main stage.
Facing Stearns, the world No. 35, she shook off an early break to love in her first service game before roaring back behind her trademark aggressive serving and fearless returns.
“You know, it’s the first step, and the first match is always extremely difficult. “I know I have the ability to win, but it’s all about actually winning. So this is the best result, to play a good match and win,” she said.
Williams’ return to competition has been anything but quiet this week.
A day earlier, she paired up with 22-year-old American Hailey Baptiste for her first doubles match in almost three years, notching another victory to remind fans that her fight is far from over.
Until this week, Williams had even been marked as “inactive” on the WTA Tour.
Up next, Williams faces Poland’s world No. 24 Magdalena Fręch in the round of 16 on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Her doubles adventure continues on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, against American Taylor Townsend and China’s Zhang Shuai.
FKA/MA
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