New York, USA – An emotional Venus Williams was non-committal about her future in tennis on Monday, but the two-time US Open champion expressed immense gratitude and a deep sense of relief after battling bravely in a first-round defeat at Flushing Meadows.
The 45-year-old delighted a packed house on Arthur Ashe Stadium, showing flashes of her vintage power in a gutsy 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 loss to Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova. After the match, a tearful Williams spoke candidly about what her comeback truly meant—a chance to play without the pain that has plagued her career.
Venus Williams reflects on her journey back to the US Open🗣️ pic.twitter.com/6Vo6CTxgoP
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2025
“Night and Day”: Finding Joy in Health
Williams’s reflections focused less on the outcome and more on the physical freedom she felt on the court. She contrasted her recent performance with her straight-sets loss to Muchova at the US Open in 2020.
“When I think about the match I played against her in 2020, I was so uncomfortable. I wasn’t well. I was in so much pain,” she said, her voice catching with emotion in the post-match press conference. “Today it’s night and day how much better I felt, so I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to play in feeling better, and at that rate, have a real chance.”
She emphasized that her comeback was not about winning but about rediscovering the joy of the game. “I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” she explained. “When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind too. It was nice to be freer.”
A Legacy at Flushing Meadows
Williams, who was granted a wildcard entry into the tournament, more than justified the decision with her gritty performance. She is a two-time singles champion at the US Open (2000, 2001) and has reached the final four times. This was her 25th appearance in the main draw, a record for any player in the tournament’s history. Over her career, she holds an impressive 79-21 win-loss record in singles at Flushing Meadows, putting her in the top five all-time.
When asked about her future, and specifically a potential return for the Australian Open next year, Williams was vague. “That’s kind of far too,” she said. She confirmed she doesn’t expect to play again this year, citing her reluctance to travel, but did not rule out a future return. “My goal is to do what I want to do.”
For the American icon, Monday’s battle was a deeply personal victory, proving to herself and the world that she can still “play an exciting brand of tennis” and “just hit hard.”
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