Venus Williams wants to find joy again when returning at Washington Open

Venus at a press conference in Washington

At 45 years old, Venus is the oldest player still playing on the WTA Tour, and she has no intention of retiring, even though her younger sister Serena Williams has decided to choose to live another chapter of her life.

However, due to health - age and physical limitations, the female tennis player born in 1980 has not played a match in the past 16 months. The last time she appeared on the court was when she lost to Diana Shnaider (Russia) in Miami 04.2024.

Having turned down a wild-card spot to the tournament, also known as the Mudabala Citi DC Open, Venus accepted this year's invitation because deep down she felt ready to face the new challenge.

“Most of the time I don’t get to play as a wild card. But today, I got to play. Of course I love the game and the hard court, it’s my favorite court, where I feel comfortable.”

“So all those different factors brought me here today. My personal goal is just to enjoy every moment, and not put too much pressure on myself...”.

“I don’t know if I can define success any other way than believing in myself and sticking to my process. It’s not easy, especially after a break. Those are my goals.”

Thinking about her future - with professional tennis, Venus still maintains a characteristically secretive attitude: "I think I know what I want to do, but I don't always want to say it clearly."

“I’m just here, right now, and who knows what the future holds? There could be more to it. Like I said, I keep my decisions private, but right now, I’m just focused on playing in Washington.”

At this point, with her age and current health, stepping out onto the court to find joy again is a great success for Venus, who had to undergo surgery to remove uterine fibroids last year - benign but painful tumors that grow in the uterine wall...

My health journey has been scary. You know, a year ago this time, I was getting ready for surgery. I couldn't play tennis or compete in the US Open. I was just trying to get healthy again!", Venus bravely said.

Known for her powerful game, Williams is determined to maintain her strengths: “I’m still me. I’m a powerful player. That’s my brand. So it’s important to hit hard and really give it my all. So that’s going to be my effort – to give it my all on the court. That’s my main goal.”

In the first round of the Washington Open, Venus will face her compatriot - "junior" Peyton Stearns (currently ranked 34th in the WTA). The match is scheduled to take place tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. But before that, she will also compete in the women's doubles, paired with Hailey Baptiste. Couldn't be more daring...

According to D.HG./Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper

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Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/venus-williams-muon-tim-lai-niem-vui-khi-quay-lai-o-washington-open-154473.html