Venus Williams made her return to professional tennis on August 23rd, competing in the first round of the Mubadala Citi DC Open Women’s Singles in Washington, D.C. The seven-time Grand Slam champion faced 22-year-old Peyton stearns in her comeback match.

Williams,who has remained an active player unlike her brother,tennis legend Serena Williams,who retired after the US Open in September 2022,had been sidelined for approximately 16 months. Her absence from the court was due to surgery for uterine fibroids last year. As an unranked player due to her inactivity, Williams received a wildcard entry into the tournament.

“It wasn’t easy to come back after rest and injury, but the team members wanted to return and I came back,” Williams stated, reflecting on her return to competition.