After more than a year away, 45-year-old Venus Williams is back on court at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., bringing her signature blend of power and grace.
Speaking with fans and media ahead of the hard-court tournament, Venus smiled widely as she shared that the only thing missing from her return is younger sister Serena. "We always did everything together… the only thing that would make this better is if she was here," she said, recalling a recent social media clip of Serena swinging a racquet.
Serena, 43, has been on hiatus since the 2022 U.S. Open, when she announced she was “evolving” away from tennis after 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 14 doubles majors alongside Venus. Despite stepping back, Serena still stopped by a recent practice session for about 15 minutes, showing that her talent remains undimmed. "She can take six months off and she clocks it clean," Venus noted. "You can’t teach that kind of talent."
The Williams sisters once dominated the WTA Tour—each reaching world No. 1, with Venus claiming seven major singles titles. Venus’s last appearance was at the 2024 Miami Open, and the WTA currently lists her as “inactive.” Now armed with a wildcard for Washington, she’s ready to surprise tennis fans again. "This is very special for me," Venus said. "I hold my cards tight, so I think it’s a surprise for the fans—and for me, too."
Citi Open chairman Mark Ein, who cleared her wildcard request in April, praised Venus’s impact on and off the court. “She’s such an icon. Anytime you can have her engaged, and shine the spotlight on everything she’s done and continues to do, it’s hugely positive,” he said.
As the tournament kicks off, all eyes will be on Venus to see if she can pick up where she left off—and maybe inspire her sister to join her in the quest for more Grand Slam glory.
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Venus Williams returns to tennis, wishes sister Serena would join her
cgtn.com
