Venus Williams Becomes Second-Oldest Woman to Win a WTA Singles Match
Venus Williams made an unforgettable return to professional tennis on Tuesday night, becoming the second-oldest woman in history to win a WTA singles match. At age 45, she delivered a powerful 6-3, 6-4 victory over Peyton Stearns, a 23-year-old rising star, at the DC Open nearly two years since her last singles win.
Her victory puts her just behind Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she last won a singles match in 2004.
“I wanted to play a good match, and win the match,” Venus told a roaring crowd after the final point. And win she did with big serves over 110 mph, fearless groundstrokes, and relentless hustle.
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An Emotional Return After a Challenging Year
Williams hadn’t played a singles match since March 2024 due to surgery to remove uterine fibroids. Her last singles victory came in August 2023. The time off tested her confidence. “Each week I was training, I’d think, ‘Am I even good enough yet?’” she admitted.
But she pushed through. “It’s all a head game,” Venus said. “I just keep praying for good health so I can have the opportunity to compete.”
She hit her stride early, breaking Stearns in the second game with crisp returns and vintage movement. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion followed it up with a forehand winner and a sprint to reach a drop shot, electrifying the 7,000-seat stadium in D.C.
Venus has now won seven Grand Slam singles titles, 14 in women’s doubles (all with sister Serena), and two in mixed doubles. Remarkably, she earned four of those titles before Stearns was even born.
The night ended in dramatic fashion: after failing to convert five match points, Venus blasted a 112 mph serve on her sixth try. The return hit the net. Game over.
“She played some ball tonight,” Stearns said afterward. “Her serves were on fire.”
Up next, Venus Williams will face Magdalena Frech, the tournament’s No. 5 seed. As she put it: “It won’t be easy for anyone out here… but I’m up for that.”
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