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Williams was joined by fellow former world No. 1s Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and the Bryan twins for an exhibition weekend benefitting several local youth outreach programs.

ByDavid Kane

Published Dec 19, 2023

The comeback is officially on for former world No. 1-slash-YouTuber Venus Williams, who shared her first steps back on the tennis court at the San Antonio International Team Tennis Championships.

Williams was last in action for a farewell exhibition celebrating Monica Puig shortly after 2023 US Open. As she gears up for a full-scale comeback next spring, the seven-time Grand Slam champion flexed some muscle alongside fellow stars Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and the Bryan twins to benefit the San Antonio Sports i play After School and the Bush-Wiske Ace Outreach programs.

“These kids have been flown and bused in to come see the pros play, to see the effect that tennis and sport can have on your life, and to give them exposure to see tennis at the highest level,” Williams explains in the latest entry to her eponymous YouTube channel.

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“I’m not sure my tennis will be at the highest level,” she added with a laugh, “but I’m really trying!”

Williams had some help on the doubles court from longtime rival Azarenka and later Bob Bryan, with whom she reached a Wimbledon mixed doubles final in 2006.

“If we would have won that match, I would have had all three titles at Wimbledon. I blame Bob, just to let you know,” joked Williams, who won her other two mixed doubles finals in 1998 with Justin Gimelstob.

Though she declares herself “retired” from professional doubles, Williams still has high hopes for singles, where she enjoyed some solid results in between injuries this season.

Click here to check out Williams’ full vlog from San Antonio.