Venus Williams Becomes The Oldest WTA Match Winner Since 2004
She won at the age of 14. And now she is still tasting the sweetness of victory at 45. On Tuesday, the legendary Venus Williams became the oldest WTA match winner since 2004. In 2004 Martina Navratilova won at 47 years old and now Williams wins at 45 years old. Incredible.
This is seriously no ordinary feat. Everyone has literally been watching Williams win for three decades. Some 31 years of competition.
Nevertheless, Williams looked great, moving all over the court with ease. Just the day before, Venus had won a doubles match with her partner Hailey Baptiste. Together they were able to defeat Genie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the DC Open.
However, on Tuesday another real test of athleticism would come to fruition. Would the longtime tennis star be able to win on her own? Would she be able to thwart the talents of Peyton Stearns?
Venus Williams Becomes The Oldest WTA Match Winner Since 2004
Well, even in the first set it was clear that there was a Williams sister on the court with a racket and there to do business. And she dominated in both sets against an opponent half her age. Yes, Venus Williams played her first singles match since March 2024, defeating world #35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 to reach the 2nd round in Washington WTA 500.
During her thrilling performance Williams hit 9 aces. Such efficiency helped her gain her first singles win since august 2023. After her triumphant comeback win, Venus was asked what made her decide to get back to playing. She provided a few different reasons. Williams states,
“I had to come back for the insurance, because they informed me this year that I’m on Cobra. So it’s like, I got to get my benefits on!
[But also] my fiancée is here. He really encouraged me to keep playing. Do you know how hard it is to play tennis? It’s [like] working 9 to 5 except you’re running around and lifting weights the whole time. So he just really encouraged me to get through this and I’m so happy to be here.”
And we’re all happy to see her here in this tennis era. However, some did feel that Williams should not have received a wild card. Feeling that it should have gone to someone else; perhaps younger. Therefore, does Venus feel she has anything to prove to such naysayers? She says,
“No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me, and I also have nothing to prove. Zip, zero. I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss. No one has put in the work for me. I put in the work.
So it doesn’t matter what anyone says. It doesn’t stop the work that I have put in. It doesn’t stop my belief. Even if people are saying amazing things, it still doesn’t help you win. I really just try to focus on myself and not think about anything else.”
What a woman. What an athlete, mindset and legacy. After beating Stearns, Venus now has her 819th tour level win. Congratulations Venus!
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