At 45, Venus Williams returned to professional tennis after a 16-month health-related hiatus, winning both her singles and doubles opening matches at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Partnering with Hailey Baptiste, she secured a doubles victory, followed by a singles upset against Peyton Stearns. This marks her first win in both disciplines since 2016 and makes her the oldest woman to win a tour-level match since 2004. Williams, who had been inactive due to health issues, expressed relief at her current fitness and is looking forward to future challenges, including the US Open.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.