Venus Williams may have been away from professional tennis for a while, but she ensured her return was nothing short of impressive. The 45-year-old received a wild card entry into the Citi DC Open and cruised past fellow American Peyton Stearns in straight sets in their first round.
The American’s dominant performance drew a brief reaction from four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who is also competing at the WTA 500 event in Washington.
Naomi Osaka Elated As ‘Queen’ Venus Williams Makes Triumphant Return at Citi Open
Williams’ return to the court was closely watched by fans, as she had been sidelined for nearly 16 months, with her last appearance coming at the 2024 Miami Open. The 45-year-old had already made a successful return in Washington, partnering with Hailey Baptiste to register a first-round doubles win over Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue on Monday.
The seven-time Major champion delivered an even more dominant performance in her first-round singles match on Tuesday. Although she was broken at love in the opening game, it did little to shake her rhythm as she quickly regained control to take the first set 6-3. Stearns managed a 3-1 lead in the second, but couldn’t hold off the veteran’s surge, eventually losing 6-4 and exiting the tournament.
It’s like she never left 😮💨@Venuseswilliams defeats Stearns 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round in the United States capital.#MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/r38pH63jCt
— wta (@WTA) July 23, 2025
The 45-year-old never seemed out of touch despite returning after a long hiatus. Her performance could have struck a chord with many, including Osaka, who shared her reaction on X.
“My queen 👑🥹❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” she wrote.
My queen 👑🥹❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) July 23, 2025
Osaka also had a great start to her Washington campaign as she ousted Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 7-5 in the first round. Williams, meanwhile, became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova, then 47, who defeated Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004.
Playing a Professional Match at Citi DC Open After a Long Hiatus Was Tough for Venus Williams
The match may have ended on a high note for Williams, but returning to competition after such a long break proved to be ‘extremely difficult’ for her.
“You know, it’s the first step, and the first match is always extremely difficult. It’s hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off,” she said after the match.
Williams said she believed in her ability but valued converting it into a win in what was a beautiful night shared with her loved ones and the fans.
“So going into the match, 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. I’m here with my friends, family, people I love, and the fans, too, who I love and they love me, so this has been just a beautiful night,” she added.
Next up for the American player is World No. 24 Magdalena Frech, who defeated qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-4 in the first round on Monday. This will also be their first-ever encounter on tour.
