In her first singles match in 16 months, former World No. 1 Venus Williams is once again a match-winner on the Hologic WTA Tour — and the 45-year-old legend is setting records with her victory.
Washington, D.C.: Draws | Scores | Order of Play
In an all-American first-round showdown at the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Tuesday night, Williams stormed past World No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4. Williams needed 1 hour and 37 minutes to defeat her 23-year-old compatriot.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams is the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since then-47-year-old Martina Navratilova beat Catalina Castano at 2004 Wimbledon — over 21 years ago.
Williams was already the oldest player to contest a tour-level singles match since then-46 year-old Kimiko Date lost her first-round match at 2017 Tokyo. Williams will now get to contest at least one more.
This was Williams’ first singles win since she beat then-World No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova at 2023 Cincinnati — meaning her last two wins have come over Top 35 players, almost two years apart.
Williams will face another Top 35 player in the second round: she will have her first career meeting with World No. 24 Magdalena Frech of Poland. No. 5 seed Frech beat qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-4 in the first round on Monday.
More to come…