Tennis legend Venus Williams is again. The 45-year-old former world No. 1 participant gained her first singles match in almost two years, defeating the world No. 35 Peyton Stearns, 6-3, 6-4, to achieve the second spherical of the DC Open.
At 45 years and 35 days, Williams is the oldest girl to win a WTA tour-level match since Martina Navratilova did so at Wimbledon in 2004 at 47, in line with CBS Sports activities Analysis. Williams served up 9 aces within the match, some reaching 110 mph, in line with the Related Press.
Try the second of her particular victory, right here:
Williams did not look very rusty in her return to motion. When she wasn’t acing serves, she confirmed some unimaginable motion, going end-to-end to return troublesome photographs that many 45-year-olds couldn’t.
Williams joked that she needed to return to the court docket for the insurance coverage advantages, since she’s “all the time on the medical doctors.”
“I needed to come again for the insurance coverage, as a result of they knowledgeable me this 12 months that I am on COBRA.” Williams mentioned after the match. “So it is, like, I received to get my advantages on.”
Williams has registered 5 Wimbledon and two US Open titles over her profession, and she or he was excited to return for this occasion in Washington, D.C.
“There’s one thing actually particular about D.C.: the vitality, the followers, the historical past,” Williams mentioned in an announcement, through USA Right this moment. “This metropolis has all the time proven me a lot love, and I am unable to wait to compete there once more.”