Venus Williams proved that age is just a number, beating top-35 player Peyton Stearns in a thrilling 6-3, 6-4 victory. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion walked onto the stadium court as if it was rising on her career, despite not playing a WTA Tour match since March of 2024 and having not won one since 2023.
Stearns, an ideal opponent for Williams, struggled with erratic play under big stages, making her an easy target for Williams’ dominant performance. The Citi Open in Washington D.C. became the most-talked-about match during a relatively quiet week on the tour.
Williams partnered with Hailey Baptiste earlier in the tournament and showed solid doubles play. However, it was in singles that she truly shone, wearing a logo-free black dress and playing uncomplicated yet effective tennis. She hit nine aces and attacked at the first strike, taking control of the match from Stearns.
The win marked Williams’ 819th career victory, making her one of the most successful players in WTA history. Despite not being the oldest woman to win a WTA Tour singles match, beating No. 35 at 45 was still an impressive achievement.
“It’s just about putting it all together,” Williams said after the match, crediting her fiance Andrea Preti for encouraging her to try and come back. She will face Magdalena Fręch of Poland in her next match.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6510057/2025/07/22/venus-williams-wins-return-citi-open