WASHINGTON – After Venus Williams returned to professional tennis for four-day quarter-season, she was clamored by admired fans even after losing singles, and the DC Open Stadium announcer also came up with an idea: “We will never say goodbye to Venus Williams, are we?” he said.
It’s not a one-stop Hello and Farewell appearance for the 45-year-old Williams, who has been away from the tour for 16 months before appearing in Washington this week, winning singles and doubles each time. She hasn’t won a single game since 2023, owners of seven Grand Slam singles titles, and 14 out of women’s doubles with her sister Serena, and two others in a mixed doubles, celebrated by spectators and other players.
“I’m sorry (falling)” Williams said after being eliminated by No. 24 on Thursday night by No. 24, 6-2. “But I know I can play better. And I know I’ll play better.”
Yes, there are more: Williams will be heading to the Cincinnati Open next in August. That’s for sure.
If the American Tennis Association awards her a wildcard entry, she is likely to be in the U.S. Open later next month. USTA has announced that Williams is asking for invitations to play with Reilly Opelka in the game’s new range mixed doubles match.
It was obvious that the whole experience in Washington was very interesting to her.
She likes challenges. She likes to play tennis. Also, what do you don’t like if you have so much favor?
“It’s all about her. All the media, all the fans – everyone is serving her.” “She is a superstar. She is a legend.”
But there are more. Because Williams also made it clear that it wasn’t just about having a good time. She wants to win, too.
Williams smiled and said, “Learn a lot from here. I know exactly what I need to do, where I can improve. The good news is that I always have control over that. The important thing is to put the ball in,” Williams said with a smile. “So that’s one thing I didn’t do today. Am I in control? Will definitely control most of my game? Very likely yes. That’s where I want to be, so I put myself in that position. That’s what matters.”
Williams can still serve as she passed a series of aces with over 110 mph in a straight win against No. 35 Peyton Stearns on Tuesday.
You can still hit the forehand and backhand hard.
As Stearns said: “She played some balls tonight.”
At the end of the final press conference in Washington, Williams talked about the game she participated and the work she needed to do after she needed to stay away from the court last year due to surgery for uterine fibroids.
Her answer sounds a bit like a warning to the other players facing her.
“I’m going to reflect on this game and what I can do better. I’m going to reflect on my preparations for the game to make sure I’m ready. It’s a thing. But unless anything, I’m getting a lot of information from this game,” Williams said. “Like, I can’t wait to get on the driving range. My coach and I are already talking about what we’re going to do, and over the past few weeks, I’ve been getting so quickly, like a mountain on a mountain.”
Then she paused and added, “So we made a lot of progress and I hope there will be more.”
