DC Open comeback ends early for Venus Williams
Digest more
Venus Williams won her first singles match in more than a year at age 45 and highlighted the phenomenon of older athletes playing at an elite level.
Venus Williams, 45, Turns Heads With Major Accomplishment originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tennis legend Venus Williams was listed as inactive just last week, but ended up making some history during Tuesday's Mubadala Citi DC Open.
MASON, Ohio — Venus Williams’ return to professional tennis will not just be a one-tournament visit: She was awarded a wild-card entry for the Cincinnati Open. The 45-year-old Williams is participating in her first event in more than a year at the DC Open and won first-round matches in both singles and doubles.
Venus Williams returned to tour-level tennis on Tuesday, defeating Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 at the DC Open and winning her first match in nearly two years.
SportsLine tennis expert Blake Von Hagen reveals his 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open picks for Tuesday's women's first-round match between Peyton Stearns and Venus Williams
2don MSN
45-year-old Venus Williams becomes the oldest woman since Martina Navratilova to win a singles match
The only older woman to win a tour-level singles match was Martina Navratilova, whose last triumph came at 47 in 2004.
Venus Williams' comeback might result in a US Open spot, but it's unclear if the 45-year-old seven-time Grand Slam title winner will request one.
The comments by the tennis great draw attention to the broader crisis of health care affordability and medical debt.