WASHINGTON (BN24)—Venus Williams made a victorious return to professional tennis on Tuesday after a 16-month break due to health issues, teaming up with American partner Hailey Baptiste to defeat Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard and rising star Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 in the opening round of the DC Open.
The 45-year-old tennis legend’s comeback marked her first competitive appearance since undergoing surgery last year. Williams admitted returning through doubles was challenging, given it’s not her usual format.
“Hailey asked me how it felt afterward. Honestly, it’s probably harder coming back through doubles because it’s not my usual game,” Williams said. “But having her alongside me helped a lot. She’s been playing regularly and performing well, and that gave us momentum.”
Williams described this year as a stark contrast to 2024, when her focus was solely on recovery. “It’s night and day compared to last year,” she said. “Back then I wasn’t even thinking about tennis — I just wanted to heal and be healthy.”
Her singles comeback is scheduled for Tuesday night, where she will face fellow American Peyton Stearns on the main court.
Approximately 3,000 fans witnessed Williams’ return, including NBA superstar and Washington native Kevin Durant. Williams expressed excitement at seeing Durant in the crowd.
“I was like, ‘Let me show KD what I’ve got,’” she joked. “But they hit every ball to Hailey!”
Baptiste echoed the enthusiasm: “It’s so cool that he came out to support us,” she said, noting the energized atmosphere as fans chanted “K-D.”
For Williams, returning to the court represented a personal triumph. “You can play all the matches in the world, but if your health is gone, everything else fades into the background,” she said. “That puts things in perspective — it made coming back easier, and now I’m playing with more freedom.”
Williams also emphasized the joy of sharing the moment with fans. “You train for months for this, and you never know if you’ll win until the final point. It’s special to share that emotion with the fans.”
Her opponent, Eugenie Bouchard, who announced her retirement next week in Canada, expressed admiration for Williams.
“It’s always special to play Venus,” Bouchard said. “She’s 14 years older than me and still out here competing. I have nothing but respect for her — she’s a legend.”
Credit: punching.com
