Venus Williams turned back the clock at the Washington Open by defeating world No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round, becoming the second oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match.
Idman.biz, citing BBC, reports that at 45, Williams now stands behind only Martina Navratilova, who won at age 47 in 2004.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion had not played since March 2024 and was listed as inactive by the WTA, yet made a strong return via wildcard entry. "I have nothing to prove. I’m here for me," said Williams when asked if proving critics wrong motivated her.
This marked her first singles win since August 2023. Earlier this week, she also triumphed in doubles with Hailey Baptiste. Williams, who had four Grand Slams before Stearns was even born, now advances to face Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the second round.
Idman.biz
