At 45 years young, Venus Williams just reminded the tennis world why she’s a living legend, defeating 23-year-old rising star Peyton Stearns in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) at the Washington Open. With this win, she becomes the second-oldest woman ever to win a WTA singles match, trailing only Martina Navratilova’s 2004 record at 47.
The tennis powerhouse stepped back onto the court this week at the DC Open and delivered a jaw-dropping performance that had fans cheering like it was 2000 again. Venus, who hadn’t played singles since March 2024, made her long-anticipated return by defeating her opponent.
What makes this win even more remarkable is that Williams, who gained entry to the tournament via a wildcard, had not played singles in an official match since March 2024 in Miami, missing time while having surgery to remove uterine fibroids. She hadn’t won in singles since August 2023 in Cincinnati, and until this week, she was even listed by the WTA Tour as “inactive.”
When asked if she felt satisfaction in proving people wrong, Venus Williams, ever the icon, simply stated: “No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me.” She continued, with that signature Venus confidence, “I have nothing to prove. I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss.”
On Monday, she made her return in the doubles alongside compatriot Hailey Baptiste, where they beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 in the last 16. And then, on Tuesday, she stepped onto the singles court and delivered a masterclass. At the DC Open, in a 7,000-seat arena, the cheers reached a crescendo as Williams began hitting aces, at 110 mph and faster, just like she used to.
“I’m just constantly praying for good health, so that way I could have an opportunity to play with good health,” Williams shared. “A lot of this for me is being able to come back and try to play at a level (and) to play healthy.”
Keep in mind: Venus Williams won four Grand Slam trophies before Peyton Stearns was even born. And yet she handled her young opponent with precision and power, reminding the world that greatness doesn’t fade, it just evolves.
