Advertisement
League of Ireland
Horse Racing
TV Listings
GAA Fixtures
The Video Review
Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture
Rugby Weekly Extra
Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week
The Football Family
Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points
Advertisement
More Stories
Venus Williams.Alamy Stock Photo
Venus Williams returns at 45 with doubles win at DC Open
The 7-time Grand Slam single champion returned to competitive tennis after a 16-month hiatus.
9.45am, 22 Jul 2025
Share options
SEVEN-TIME GRAND Slam single champion Venus Williams returned to competitive tennis after a 16-month hiatus on Monday with a doubles victory at the WTA and ATP DC Open.
The 45-year-old American joined compatriot Hailey Baptiste to defeat Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard and US teen Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 in a first-round match.
“After the match Hailey asked me, ‘How did that feel?’ It’s probably even harder to play the doubles first because I’m not a doubles player,” Williams said.
“So it’s great to have her to kind of hold the team up. She has had the experience. She served first because she has been playing all year and playing well. I think that helped me a lot.
“I think also just to get the feel for the ball. Obviously singles I have a little more experience even though doubles I have had some great results.
“It’s just nice to be able to play. Where I am at this year is so much different where I was at last year. It’s night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago.”
Williams makes her return to singles on Tuesday in the main court night feature match against American Peyton Stearns.
Advertisement
A crowd of about 3,000 spectators watched the doubles match, including NBA star Kevin Durant, who is from Washington.
“We were both so focused and after the match, I was, like, ‘Did you see Kevin Durant walk in?’ She was, like, ‘Yeah,’” Williams said.
Fans chanting “K-D” made it tough for Baptiste to focus but she was happy to have a famous fan in the stands.
“It’s sick that he came out to support us,” she said. “It’s really cool.”
“I was, like, ‘I want to show KD what I can do. Hit the ball to me,’” Williams said. “They hit every ball to you. I was, like, OK, whatever. However we win is fine.”
For Williams, who battled health issues during much of her layoff, just being back on the court was a victory.
“I just want to be healthy. You can play all the matches in the world, can you do all the things in the world, but when your health is gone or when your opportunities are being taken away, it just puts a whole new perspective,” Williams said.
“I wasn’t even thinking about tennis at that point. Just wanted to have a successful surgery that I lived through.
“Tennis is a game, it’s our life, literally our obsession, it’s actually a cult, I think. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if your health is not there.
“Definitely put it in perspective for me and maybe made it easier to make the decision to maybe come back out here and maybe play even freer.”
Williams said she enjoys sharing her emotions with spectators after a triumph.
“It’s so much work,” she said. “I’ve been training for months to get to this moment, and then you train to be prepared to win in this moment, but it’s not a guarantee. You don’t win until that final point is over.
“It’s important to share those emotions with the crowd.”
Bouchard will retire next week in Canada and was pleased for one last meeting with Williams.
“To play against her one last time is fun and special,” Bouchard said. “I was like kudos to you to keep kicking it. She’s 14 years older than me and still plugging away. I have nothing but respect for her. She’s such a legend.”
– © AFP 2025
Viewcomments
Send Tip or Correction
Embed this post
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Email “Venus Williams returns at 45 with doubles win at DC Open”.
Recipient's Email
Feedback on “Venus Williams returns at 45 with doubles win at DC Open”.
Your Feedback
Your Email (optional)
Report a Comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment.
Please give full details of the problem with the comment...
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
before taking part.
Leave a Comment
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel.
Racism or Hate speech
An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs.
Trolling or Off-topic
An attempt to derail the discussion.
Inappropriate language
Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs.
Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts.
Please provide additional information
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
Leave a commentcancel
Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user
View our policy
⚠️ Duplicate comment
Post Comment
have your say
Or create a free account to join the discussion
Venus Williams
News in 60 seconds
First Nations & Pasifika XV v British & Irish Lions, Australia tour 2025
Donegal and Armagh turn down proposed €7,500 fines from Ulster final row
FreeCycling
Van der Poel drops out of Tour de France due to pneumonia
'A lot of boys here who are still 15-years-old have got agents'
Murray Kinsella
Reports from Australia
FreePremier Star
Noel McGrath: 'To have my son there was one of the greatest things I could have done'
Man United sign Bryan Mbeumo for fee rising to €82 million
The call Jamie Osborne got from Andy Farrell in a Lisbon taxi
First Nations & Pasifika XV v British & Irish Lions, Australia tour 2025
No homecoming event for Cork hurlers 'at request of team and management'
Paul Gascoigne recovering after collapse at home
Eoghan Connolly
'We had a terrible game in-house': Tipperary turned it around to claim famous All-Ireland win
more from us
Investigates
Daft.ie Property Magazine
Allianz Home Magazine
The 42 Sports Magazine
TG4 Entertainment Magazine
Money Diaries
The Journal TV
Journal Media
Advertise With Us
About FactCheck
Our Network
FactCheck Knowledge Bank
Terms & Legal Notices
Terms of Use
Cookies & Privacy
Advertising
Competition
more from us
TV Listings
GAA Fixtures
The Video Review
Journal Media
Advertise With Us
Our Network
The Journal
FactCheck Knowledge Bank
Terms & Legal Notices
Terms of Use
Cookies & Privacy
Advertising
Competition
© 2025 Journal Media Ltd
Terms of Use
Cookies & Privacy
Advertising
Competition
Switch to Desktop
Switch to Mobile
The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie
Report an error, omission or problem:
Your Email (optional)
Create Email Alert
Create an email alert based on the current article
Email Address
One email every morning
As soon as new articles come online
Sign in or create
a free account
To continue reading create a free account
Or sign into an existing account
Related News
10 Jul, 2025
Taylor and Serrano safely make 136-pound . . .
17 Mar, 2025
PSG move closer to record-extending 13th . . .
15 Apr, 2025
What's new for Easter at the Hollywood P . . .
09 Apr, 2025
Celebrate Easter in Dubai: 15 best brunc . . .
21 Apr, 2025
‘Only Rohit can answer that’: Australia . . .
20 Mar, 2025
IABA shares intention to join World Boxi . . .
28 Mar, 2025
What next for English rugby as Sweeney s . . .
24 Jul, 2025
He made a viral horror game in 2 months . . .