Venus Williams is preparing to play in her 25th US Open. While there has been speculation about the seven-time Grand Slam winner’s future, Williams revealed a clear objective in her pre-tournament press conference.
Venus Williams Aims to Keep Things Simple
While speaking to the media before her opening round match, Williams said she plans to continue playing aggressively because she “has fun controlling the points.” She added that she’s “going to have fun and stay relaxed.” Williams acknowledged the challenges she faces from not being as active as some of her opponents, but said her expectation is to get the best out of herself. She said:
“Super thrilling to be back. It does not get old, it just gets more exciting. I did exactly what I needed to do. Right now, I hit you hard and it goes out, so I’m gonna try to hit less hard so it goes in. But the good news is, I’m having fun controlling the points. I want to be my best, and that’s the expectation I have for myself: to get the best out of me. That’s all any player can ask for.”
The 45-year-old received a Wild Card into the singles draw this year. The former world No. 1 won back-to-back US Open titles in 2000 and 2001. She also reached the finals in 1997, losing to Martina Hingis, and in 2002, losing to her sister Serena Williams.
Venus Williams winning her last US Open title on Sept. 8th, 2001…exactly 1 month before her tonight’s opponent Peyton Stearns was born (Oct. 8th) pic.twitter.com/tRr4F4qGDU
— asud (@asud683385) July 23, 2025
Williams is currently ranked No. 580 in the world and has played sparingly in recent years. She has just seven total match wins over the last five seasons. This summer, she competed in two events leading up to the US Open: The Citi DC Open and the Cincinnati Open. She reached the round of 16 in Washington before losing to fifth-seeded Magdalena Fręch, then lost in the first round in Cincinnati to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Before returning this summer, Williams’ last tour match was in March 2024, when she lost in the first round of the Miami Open to Diana Shnaider. Despite retirement rumors, Williams insists she remains passionate about the sport.
Williams’ first-round opponent is 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova. They are scheduled to play under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night. While they don’t have an extensive history, their meetings have been notable. Most recently, Muchova and her partner Andrey Rublev defeated Williams and her longtime friend Reilly Opelka in the first round of the US Open mixed doubles tournament.
Andrey Rublev and Karolina Muchova are moving on after their first win vs Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka 💪🏼 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/G3fvEwqc7S
— Outside the Ball (@outside_theball) August 19, 2025
Muchova also defeated Williams in the first round of the 2020 U.S. Open, which was significant because it marked the first time Williams had ever lost in the tournament’s opening round. Currently ranked No. 12, Muchova reached a career-high ranking of No. 8 in 2023 and is considered one of the most talented players on the WTA Tour.
An all-court player, Muchova has reached the quarterfinals or better at all four Grand Slams. Her best performance came at the 2023 French Open, where she made the final before falling to Iga Swiatek. She has also reached the US Open semifinals in each of the last two years, losing to Jessica Pegula in 2024 and Coco Gauff in 2023.
Sacrificing the BODY 🤯#RolandGarros | @karomuchova7 pic.twitter.com/v6H78TZpOs
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 10, 2023
Muchova entered this season expected to contend for a Grand Slam but has posted a disappointing 16-12 record, suffering early-round exits at every major. With semifinal points to defend from the past two years, she faces pressure to avoid slipping in the rankings.
Williams, by contrast, has no ranking pressure. That freedom could play to her advantage. If she serves well and maintains her aggressive style, she has a chance to pull off the upset against Muchova, who has struggled for form this year.
