Venus Williams fell short of a fairytale win at the ongoing US Open, but the 45-year-old veteran reminded the tennis world she is not yet ready to put down her racket after pushing 11th seed Karolina Muchova in a spirited first-round clash.
Williams, the oldest player to compete in the women’s singles draw at Flushing Meadows since Renee Richards in 1981 — and the third-oldest in the Open era — lost 6-3 2-6 6-1 to the Czech semi-finalist in front of a raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
Although Muchova eventually proved too strong, Williams rolled back the years in flashes, thrilling fans with vintage backhands and a trademark fighting spirit that earned her a standing ovation as she waved to all sides of the arena after the match.
A Champion’s Spirit
Back at the US Open for the first time since 2022, and 28 years after reaching the final here as a 17-year-old, Williams admitted she relished the opportunity to compete once more.
“Are there any tournaments in the States? Can someone move a tournament here?” she joked afterwards. “I love playing. The level of my game has come up so much since DC. I tried as hard as I could to throw off any rust, but at the end of the day there’s only so much that can really be accomplished in three or four matches.”
Karolina Muchova shakes hands with Williams after her win
Williams, who recorded her first tour-level win in nearly two years last month in Washington against Peyton Stearns, seized the second set with commanding tennis, breaking Muchova early and roaring to a 5-2 lead before levelling the match.
But in the deciding set, fatigue caught up with her as Muchova pulled away.
Grateful Return
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has endured persistent injuries and illness in recent years but was emotional when reflecting on the opportunity to compete again.
“My goal is to do what I want to do. I wanted to be here this summer,” she said. “I’m very grateful for all the folks who gave me a wildcard. They could have said, ‘Hey, you’ve been gone too long, you haven’t won a lot of matches in the last few years.’ But there were a lot of people who believed in me.
“For me, getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy. When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. So it was nice to be freer.”
Legacy Intact
Williams’ last US Open win came in 2018, but her influence stretches well beyond the scoreboard.
A two-time US Open champion, Olympic gold medallist and a pioneer for gender equality in tennis, her presence at Flushing Meadows drew admiration from across the sport.
Williams waved to fans as she exited Arthur Ashe Stadium in emotional fashion
Whether this was her final appearance remains uncertain, but if it was, Williams left Arthur Ashe Stadium as she entered it nearly three decades ago — on her own terms, and cheered as one of the game’s great trailblazers.