Venus Williams, 45, made historical past Tuesday evening by changing into the second-oldest lady to win a tour-level singles match.
Williams didn’t let her age be a deterrent within the singles match in opposition to 23-year-old Peyton Stearns. She displayed a few of her basic strikes that beforehand earned her the coveted title as world No. 1-ranked singles participant throughout her prime. She defeated Stearns 6-3, 6-4 on the DC Open, The Related Press reported.
Williams took a prolonged hiatus from the game and was listed as “inactive” by the WTA, and was recovering from uterine fibroid surgical procedure. She mentioned the victory was extra about proving to herself that she was nonetheless among the finest, and that meant extra to her than truly competing within the match.
“Every week that I used to be coaching, I used to be, like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t know if I’m ok but.’ After which there could be weeks the place I’d leap ahead. And there could be two weeks the place I used to be, like, ‘Oh, God, it’s not occurring.’ Even the week main up, (I believed), ‘Oh, my gosh, I would like to enhance a lot extra.’ So it’s all a head recreation,” Williams mentioned after the match, per AP.
What did Peyton Stearns say about Williams?
Stearns congratulated Williams after the match and praised her for her spectacular strikes through the recreation.
“She performed some ball tonight,” Stearns mentioned. “She was transferring rather well, which I wasn’t anticipating an excessive amount of, truthfully. Her serves had been simply on hearth.”
Tuesday marked the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s first singles match since March 2024 and her first singles match victory since August 2023.
Martina Navratilova is the one lady older than Williams to win a tour-level singles match, together with her final victory at age 47 in 2004. Williams mentioned she goals to remain in “good well being” to compete at excessive ranges once more.
“I’m simply always praying for good well being, in order that approach, I might have a chance to play with good well being,” Williams mentioned, in accordance with AP. “Quite a lot of this for me is having the ability to come again and attempt to play at a degree (and) to play wholesome.”
Williams’s tried profitable streak ends in opposition to Magdalena Frech
After profitable the singles match, Williams was on a quest for her first profitable streak since 2019, however she got here up quick Thursday evening in opposition to Magdalena Frech, ESPN reported.
The 27-year-old, ranked No. 24, defeated Williams 6-2, 6-2 within the second spherical of the match. Coming off her single-match win, Williams mentioned she was completely happy to be again on the court docket and competing within the sport she loves.
“Oh, I had a lot enjoyable. Positively not the consequence I needed, however nonetheless a studying expertise. The half about sport (and) life is that you simply by no means cease studying,” Williams mentioned. “I obtained to play lots of matches right here, and that undoubtedly was a plus. The followers in D.C. are simply epic. I couldn’t have been happier with my first week again.”
In the meantime, Frech was additionally amazed at Williams‘ power and competitiveness after time away from the sport.
“I can’t even think about how she pushes herself,” Frech mentioned about Williams. “It’s actually wonderful.”
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