"I think Serena was just in the way": Venus Williams takes hilarious jab at sister after winning doubles return

Venus Williams made a winning return on Monday teaming up with compatriot Hailey Baptiste to score victory at the DC Open in Washington and among the celebrations, she took a hilarious dig at her younger sister Serena Williams.

Williams aged 45 had not played a professional match in 16 months and her last tour level win came two years ago. But she teamed with an American on the rise in Baptiste in a partnership that worked as they won through 6-3, 6-1.

She joked that her younger sister Serena with whom she won 14 Grand Slam titles with was in the way. She had not played doubles either in three years but Baptiste was perhaps the perfect foil to the tandem. A player who at 23 has just broken into the world's top 50 and is seen as a player who will just improve alongside the legendary American who left the courts deserted with no-one watching Reilly Opelka.

Many jibe about how Williams gets given wildcards and spots in tournaments but in reality it was the true showcase of why as she prepares now to play singles too.

“I think from the first point I could see that we were going to be a good team. We just should have started playing earlier, years ago, right? I think Serena was just in the way,” Williams jokingly said after the match.

“After the match Hailey asked me, ‘How did that feel?’ It's probably even harder to play the doubles first because I'm not a doubles player.

“So it's great to have her to kind of hold the team up. She's had the experience. She served first because she's been playing all year and playing well.

“I think that helped me a lot I think also just to kind of get the feel for the ball. Obviously singles I have a little more experience even though doubles I have had some great results.

“So I think it's just nice to be able to play. Where I am at this year is so much different where I was at last year. It's night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago.”

But while she has had her issues having to have surgery on her fibroids, she said that training for these sorts of tournaments and returns is one thing but actually getting it done in practice is another.

“You gotta win to win again. Isn't that a conundrum? But in any case, it's so much work. I have been training for months to get to this moment, and then you train to be prepared to win in this moment, but it's not a guarantee. So you don't win until that final point is over,” she added.

“So we hung in there, we played very serious tennis, and that last point, that's when you get to enjoy it. I think there are other performers, singers, they get to enjoy their performance throughout. But as an athlete, it's only in that final moment that you can just let go. Other than that, it's pure tension, pure focus, it's pure fire.

“So I think it's important to share those emotions, you know, to let go and to share that with the crowd and with the fans and with the world who are right there with you, you know, to see that moment of happiness in full circle.”