Venus Williams returned to action at the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Tuesday in Washington following a 16-month hiatus from the sport. The five-time Wimbledon winner more than justified concerns with her wildcard award as she beat World No. 35, Peyton Stearns, in straight sets to take the tie 6-3, 6-4, and became the second-oldest woman to ever win a match on the WTA Tour.
Venus Williams is one of the most decorated tennis players in history. With seven singles and 16 doubles Grand Slam titles to her name, the 45-year-old American is indubitably one of the greatest athletes ever to pick up a racket.
The 45-year-old did not qualify for the Citi DC Open based on her ranking but rather by accepting a wildcard invitation from the tournament organizers themselves, which has sparked controversy online about whether the legendary American deserves backlash for playing on a wildcard.
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Venus Williams has not played a full tour since 2019, when she had a record of 19-15 at the age of 39; however, since then, she has only kept battling issues on and off the pitch, as the former World No.1 has played only 37 matches in the last six years, winning only seven of them.
She was listed as an inactive player on the WTA website before her comeback this week, which saw her return to action for the first time in over 12 months. However, the 45-year-old American's decision to accept the wildcard invitation from the DC Open drew criticism, with fans saying it should have gone to a younger player.
Wildcards are opportunities for players whose ranking is not high enough to qualify automatically for a tournament. Grand Slams and the bigger ATP/WTA tournaments usually award eight wildcards, while smaller ones give out two to four guest invitations.
Wildcards can even be swapped between tournaments, such as the agreement between the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the French Tennis Association (FTA), which upholds that one wildcard from the French Open will go to an American player and one wildcard from the US Open will be awarded to a French player.
Wildcards are usually awarded to players who are up-and-coming, local players in a home tournament, winners of wildcard tournaments (smaller events whose winner gets entry to the bigger ones), and fan favorites who will sell tickets and attract attention from all around.
The American, who beat her 22-year-old opponent, had queues spanning several hundred meters in an attempt to watch her play her first singles match in almost two years. The age gap between the two is so staggering that Venus Williams already had four Grand Slam titles by the time Peyton Stearns was born.
Her remarkable achievement demonstrates why awarding the 45-year-old a wildcard was not controversial in any way, as she not only drew the biggest crowd of the tournament but also beat her opponent in straight sets. Williams also followed up her victory by announcing that she has accepted a wildcard invitation to take part in the Mixed Doubles category of the US Open alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka.
The massive crowd and engagement Venus Williams constantly brings, coupled with the fact that she is one of the greatest players ever to grace tennis and that she keeps breaking records even in the winding stages of her career, is proof, if anything, that handing the American a wildcard will never be a controversial decision till she retires.
Venus Williams becomes the oldest player to win a match on the WTA Tour since 2004
Venus Williams, on Tuesday, with her win against World No. 35 Peyton Stearns, became the oldest player to win a match on the WTA Tour since 2004. This was the American's first singles win since 2023, as she became the second-oldest player ever to win a match on the Tour since 47-year-old Martina Navratilova won a match at the All England Championships in 2004.
The 45-year-old appeared cautious in her interview following her opening-round encounter, where she stated that she was still trying to find the right balance between attacking and defending.
"I think I just attacked the whole time. It's just trying to find the right balance between going to hard and not enough.
"It's the same because this is what I do, but at the same time, at the time it was imperative for me to do it. Now I don't have to do this, but I have the same fire and the same want to win," Williams said. (via Reuters)
Venus Williams will next face fifth-seed Magdalena Frech in the second round on Thursday in Washington.
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