When Venus Williams stepped onto the courts of the WTA 500 Citi Open in the U.S. capital, many in the stands shrugged in disbelief: were the organizers really banking on success from a player almost twice the age of some competitors? Even more skeptics emerged when they remembered that the American had played her last official match sixteen months earlier. Yet in just two sets Venus shattered those doubts and reminded everyone that rumors of her permanent retirement from tennis were clearly premature.
Wild Card That Sparked Debate
When the main-draw invitations were handed out, tournament director Mark Ein explained the choice plainly: “Williams is a living legend who fills the stands.” Behind the scenes, though, other voices argued that giving a wild card to a 45-year-old was risky: Williams’ ranking had fallen outside the top 200, and her match fitness was gone.
A Pause Lasting One and a Half Years
Since her previous official match, Venus had published a cookbook, launched a podcast with her sister Serena, and walked the red carpets of New York and Los Angeles. It seemed the court had given way to a social-scene life. Yet the urge to feel real match adrenaline never faded. “I’m still powerful; my job is to load up on the ball and hit the court,” Williams smiled at her press conference. “The rest will come with reps.”
Routing Peyton Stearns: Experience Versus Youth
In the opening round of singles, the American drew Peyton Stearns, ranked No. 35 in the world. From the start Venus was firing serves up to 180 km/h, winning short rallies in one or two strokes and guarding the baseline with confidence. Stearns answered with aggression, but committed more unforced errors and struggled against the veteran’s heavy returns. Final score: 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and twenty minutes.
Historical Milestones Rewritten by Williams
- The oldest WTA match winner since 2004, when 47-year-old Martina Navratilova won a round at Wimbledon.
- Williams’ first tour-level victory since August 2023, when she ousted then world No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati.
- Nearly 31 years between her debut and most recent wins — the first came in October 1994. For perspective, of today’s top 50 only Jessica Pegula, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Tatjana Maria had been born at that time.
- Throughout that span Williams has played at least one official match in every calendar year.
Formula for Success: Movement, Power and Sense of Humor
Watching Williams cover corner to corner and drive balls deep past the baseline felt like a trip back in time for many fans: the sprint speed is slightly lower, but her court sense and knack for timing winners remain intact. After the match Venus kept her trademark wit: “I came back for the health insurance, but they still make you run. An office job would be so much easier.”
Up Next — A Duel With Magdalena Fręch
In round two the American will face world No. 24 Magdalena Fręch. The Polish girl is comfortable on hard courts and is known for her gritty returns, but she can hardly relax now: Williams has shown she can maintain a high tempo and convert break points even against top-50 opposition.
Why Tournaments Need a Veteran
The wild card for Venus is not a courtesy gesture but an investment. The tournament gets packed stands and global attention, broadcasts draw ratings, sponsors are pleased. Williams, meanwhile, gets another chance to rewrite the record book and show younger players that age in tennis is just a number when the competitive fire still burns inside.
The situation recalls an old maxim: form is temporary, class is permanent. And Venus Williams’ class remains fearsomely high.
