NEW YORK — At the age of 45 and after a two-year hiatus from Grand Slam events, Venus Williams showcased her formidable serves and striking groundstrokes at the U.S. Open on Monday night, captivating a cheering crowd at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, despite ultimately falling to Karolina Muchova with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
Remarkably, Williams became the oldest singles competitor at this hard-court tournament since Renee Richards competed at 47 years old back in 1981.
Entering her fourth match since her comeback last month after a lengthy absence from the tour, Williams faced a tough challenge right away: Muchova, a talented 29-year-old from the Czech Republic, was the runner-up at the 2023 French Open. Seeded 11th in New York, Muchova made it to the semifinals in 2023—losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff in a match disrupted by a climate protest—and again in 2024.
Given the circumstances, it was perhaps natural for Williams to start slowly, conceding 11 of the first 13 points and quickly trailing 2-0. But the atmosphere was electric, as fans rallied behind her with chants of “Let’s go, Venus!” and roared with excitement after her winners; her fiancé, Andrea Preti, was visibly exhilarated in the stands. Williams rallied, taking the next three games to lead 3-2.
However, Muchova responded by clinching the next four games, securing the first set. In the second set, Williams broke Muchova’s serve early and fought back to level the match.
Yet, in the deciding third set, Muchova’s prowess shone through. As the match came to a close, Williams left the court with a heartfelt wave, greeted by a standing ovation from fans who recognized the legacy of this seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, who first claimed her U.S. Open victory a full 25 years ago.
Most recently, Williams rejoined the competitive circuit after 16 months away, returning to play in Washington last month where she won matches in both singles and doubles. This marked her first competition since the Miami Open in March 2024, following surgery for uterine fibroids late last year.
The U.S. Tennis Association recognized her contributions by granting her wild cards for both the mixed doubles and singles events this tournament.
Williams hasn’t advanced past the first round at the U.S. Open in singles since 2019, when she reached the second round. She faced first-round exits in 2020, 2022, and 2023 and missed the tournament in 2021 and 2024.
She secured two of her seven major singles titles at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001, with the remaining five triumphs taking place at Wimbledon.
Since her professional debut in 1994, Williams has amassed 14 Grand Slam trophies in women’s doubles alongside her sister, Serena, in addition to two mixed doubles titles, achieved a record five Olympic tennis medals, and reached the pinnacle of the WTA rankings.
Throughout their careers, both sisters transcended the sport, becoming icons beyond just athletics. Serena, with an astounding 23 Grand Slam singles titles, played her final match at the 2022 U.S. Open.
“My goal is to be my best,” Williams stated the day before singles began at the U.S. Open. “That’s what I strive for—getting the best out of myself. I haven’t played as frequently as others, creating unique challenges as I navigate this journey. I’m focusing on enjoying myself, staying composed, and being the best version of me.”
