Bhubaneswar : In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Venus Williams, at 45 years old, became the second-oldest woman ever to win a WTA Tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova did so at age 47 in 2004. At the 2025 Washington Open, Venus defeated the young and talented Peyton Stearns, who is 22 years her junior, with a straight-sets victory of 6-3, 6-4. This was Venus’s first singles win since August 2023 and her first match since March 2024, after a 16-month hiatus due to surgery to remove uterine fibroids. The match was intense and featured some thrilling moments, including a prolonged final game where Stearns saved four match points. Venus showed resilience and perseverance, ultimately sealing the win with her powerful serve and precise returns in front of an enthusiastic home crowd in Washington D.C.
This victory is more than a statistic; it is a story of passion and persistence in the face of challenges. Venus openly shared the emotional journey of returning to competitive tennis, describing the first match back as “extremely difficult” but reaffirming her hunger for the game. Supported by friends, family, and fans, she embraced the moment with joy and optimism, signaling she still has the competitive fire that made her a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion. Venus’s comeback, inspired by her fiancé Andrea Preti, is a testament to her enduring love for tennis and her belief in fighting for every point. As she prepares to face Poland’s Magdalena Frech next, the tennis world watches on, reminded that age is just a number for this ageless ace.
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