HOWARD FENDRICH Tennis Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

45-year-old Venus Williams becomes the oldest woman since Martina Navratilova to win a singles match

July 22, 2025

Venus Williams has become the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova. Williams delivered some of her familiar big serves and groundstrokes at age 45 while beating Peyton Stearns — a player who is 22 years younger — by a 6-3, 6-4 score at the DC Open. Tuesday night’s victory in Washington was the first for Williams in nearly two years. Navratilova was 47 in 2004 when she won for the final time. The former No. 1-ranked Williams had not played singles in an official match since March 2024 in Miami, missing time while having surgery to remove uterine fibroids.

Venus Williams reaches for the ball during a doubles match with Hailey Baptiste against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament Monday, July 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams wins a doubles match at Washington in her first tournament in more than a year

July 22, 2025

Venus Williams has competed at a tournament for the first time in more than a year — and in doubles for the first time in nearly three — and has come out with a victory. Williams and partner Hailey Baptiste defeated 2014 Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 on Monday at the DC Open. The stands were full and the crowd included NBA star Kevin Durant. Williams has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and another 14 major trophies in doubles with her younger sister Serena. Venus is 45 and hadn’t played a match on tour since March 2024.

Venus Williams is back in tennis and wishes Serena would come out of retirement to join the fun

July 20, 2025

Venus Williams is back on the tennis scene and ready to compete for the first time in more than a year but she wishes her younger sister Serena were with her at the DC Open. The tournament begins Monday in Washington. This is the first tour event for Venus Williams in more than a year. She turned 45 last month. She owns seven Grand Slam singles titles and another 14 in doubles that she won alongside Serena. Serena hasn’t played since she retired after the 2022 U.S. Open.

HOWARD FENDRICH Tennis Writer.

45-year-old Venus Williams becomes the oldest woman since Martina Navratilova to win a singles match

Venus Williams wins a doubles match at Washington in her first tournament in more than a year

Venus Williams is back in tennis and wishes Serena would come out of retirement to join the fun

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