Venus Williams Falls at the D.C. Open, But Celebrates Her Return to Tennis
Washington – American tennis player Venus Williams, after a remarkable effort, concluded her participation in the D.C. Open with a standing ovation from the public. Although her attempt to achieve a winning streak was frustrated, Thursday night at the main stadium was a testament to her sportsmanship and perseverance. After an intense match against Magdalena Frech, number 24 in the ranking, Williams was defeated with a score of 6-2 and 6-2. Despite the defeat, the mere fact of returning to the court represented a significant achievement for the seven-time Grand Slam champion and her followers.Williams’ week at the tournament was a success, especially after her first-round victory against Peyton Stearns, which made her the oldest player to win a singles match on the circuit since 2004, when Martina Navratilova was 47 years old. Williams, who had not competed since March 2024 due to surgery for uterine fibroids, highlighted the importance of access to medical care. In addition, she shared a moment of humor by mentioning that her motivation to win was to renew her access to the WTA’s medical insurance plan. In the match against Frech, Williams started strong, but Frech took control of the game, securing the first set and leading the second. Frech, 27 years old and from Poland, praised Williams for her tenacity. The audience, present in large numbers, demonstrated their unconditional support for Williams, reacting enthusiastically to each of her shots and cheering on the tennis player at every moment of the match. Williams acknowledged the areas in which she needs to improve and accepted an invitation to participate in the Cincinnati Open next month.“I had a lot of fun. Definitely not the result I wanted, but it’s still a learning experience. The thing about sports (and) life is that you never stop learning,” Williams, 45, commented.
Venus Williams
