Venus Williams: “Love keeps me grounded” ahead of DC Open comeback

WASHINGTON, DC—One of the first questions to open Venus Williams’ Mubadala Citi DC Open press conference boiled down to a single word: Why?

Why, at 45 years old, was a former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion mounting a comeback after almost a year and a half away from the game?

“Why not?” Williams replied with a smile.

The DC Open is as much a home tournament as any for Williams, who regularly competed in the nation’s capital for World TeamTennis, leading the Washington Kastles to five of their six titles. Kastles owner Mark Ein has since become the Citi Open’s tournament director, and Williams joked about the many years he’s offered her a wild card to his WTA 500 event.

“This time I had been hitting the ball,” said Williams, who last took the court for an official match at the 2024 Miami Open. “And of course I love the game, and the hard courts, it's my favorite surface, what I feel comfortable on. So, all those different factors.”

I loved the game so much, I didn't realize that it would be so much bigger than myself. And seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation, too, it's like I could have never imagined that. So, it's like icing on the cake, cherries on top with the nuts and all the fixings. It's beautiful. Venus Williams

Williams is entered into both singles and doubles draws, set to face fellow American Peyton Stearns in the former and partnering DMV native Hailey Baptiste in the latter. Both Stearns and Baptiste were born in 2001, and have therefore never lived in a world where Venus Williams—who turned pro in 1994—was not playing professional tennis.

“As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion,” explained Williams, who is often loath to wax poetic about her legacy. “I loved the game so much, I didn't realize that it would be so much bigger than myself.

“And seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation, too, it's like I could have never imagined that. So, it's like icing on the cake, cherries on top with the nuts and all the fixings. It's beautiful.”

After 17 months away from action, Williams has been circling the tennis world this summer, first as an analyst during this year’s Roland Garros, and as a spectator at Wimbledon. Giving her first press conference in almost two years, the 2000 Olympic champion, who conceded to often “keeping her cards close” with maddeningly succinct quotes, admitted a newfound respect for the media after her own turn behind the mic.

“I think it could be very easy to say the wrong thing, is what I realized when I was live on the air,” she said with a laugh. “I was, like, ‘Just be careful. Don't say the wrong thing. Don't be too opinionated,’ because I have a lot of opinions, and many of them possibly unfounded.

“So, I'm glad I got out of it without being canceled!”

Just as Williams was gearing up for her comeback, younger sister Serena, who retired (or evolved away) from the sport in 2022, turned heads with a practice video of her own. Though she remains on the International Tennis Federation’s list of officially retired players, it makes it that much easier for fans to dream both Williams sisters back on the court in the near future.

“She can take six months off and she clocks it clean,” Williams said of her younger sister, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and fellow Olympic gold medalist. “You can't teach that kind of talent. She's just so good. I don't know what she's going to do. I don't ask those questions. I think we always hit the ball, because that's who we are, we're always hitting.

“Quite frankly, it's great cardio,” she jokingly added. “You get great legs and great arms from tennis, quiet as it's kept. So obviously that's part of her goal too is to stay in shape. I mean, I keep saying to my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here,’ like we always did everything together, so of course I miss her. But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know.”

Williams ended her press conference with a salute to her team, the people who supported her through her time away off the court and those who have helped shepherd her back to the stadiums on which she’s played for over three decades.

“You know, I believe in love and those around me, so my family, my friends. They keep me going and keep me grounded,” said Williams.

“Those are the people that are there for you when the things are lowest. They're there for you also when the things are highest, because also it's hard too when you're high and trying to maintain that and trying to deal with what's happening when you're high and low.

“So, the love always gets you through.”