Venus Williams recently shed light on the sensitive topic of equalizing pay in both men’s and women’s sports, and the WNBA stars also spoke up for their fair share of pay. The American recently made a comeback to tennis after almost 16 months at the Citi Open 2025.
Williams’ Citi Open campaign ended on July 24, 2025, in the tournament’s round of 16 against Magdalena Frech. The latter claimed the victory with a score of 6-2, 6-2. In the post-match press conference of this match, Williams was asked about her thoughts on the Citi Open equalizing the pay from 2027 and the WNBA stars voicing their stand on getting equal pay.
The WNBA players recently issued a strong message to the league ahead of their All-Star Game in Indianapolis by wearing t-shirts with the message that read, ‘Pay us what you owe us.’ Reflecting on this, Williams said that this was just the beginning and there are more exciting things coming up in women’s sports.
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"Yeah, I did not know that about the tournament. One of the things about not being on tour is you miss some of the news, or let's say all of it. That's great news. Of course there are so many exciting things going on in women's sports, and it's literally just the beginning. Of course there is room to grow. And of course we'll get there. These ladies are tenacious and talented, and they're exciting. People are watching. With all of that, it's just the perfect storm for growth and for equity," said Venus Williams.
Ahead of the Citi Open, the American player was last seen competing at the Miami Open in March last year.
Venus Williams made her feelings known about her first singles victory in 16 months
Venus Williams made her comeback to tennis with her participation in the doubles match at the Citi Open, where she teamed up with Hailey Baptiste, on July 22, 2025. Following this, she competed in her first singles match in 16 months against Peyton Stearns on July 23, where she proved her dominance by claiming an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over her opponent.
Following this victory, the 45-year-old opened up about her match, revealing that the first match is always 'difficult.' Exuding confidence in herself and calling it a 'beautiful night,' she said: (as quoted by WTA Tennis)
"You know, it's the first step, and the first match is always extremely difficult. It's hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off. So going into the match, I know I have the ability to win, but it's all about actually winning. So this is the best result, to play a good match and win. I'm here with my friends, family, people I love, and the fans, too, who I love and they love me, so this has been just a beautiful night," said Venus Williams.
Outside of her tennis heroics, Venus Williams revealed that she has been engaged to her boyfriend, Andrea Preti, and credited him for inspiring her singles comeback at the Citi DC Open.
