Rival Revealed! Venus Williams learns first opponent for DC Open return

Venus Williams has confirmed her return to professional tennis this week at the WTA 500 DC Open, after accepting a wildcard into the tournament. This marks her comeback to the professional circuit after a significant 16-month absence, with her last appearance dating back to March 2024 at the Miami Open.

It's been a long time since Venus has consistently been seen on court, though she has resisted retiring from professional tennis, making sporadic appearances in various tournaments over the last few years. In 2024, she only played the Sunshine Double: suffering defeats in Indian Wells (against Nao Hibino) and Miami Open (against Diana Shnaider).

To find her last victory on the WTA Tour, we have to go back to the 2023 Cincinnati Open, where she surprisingly defeated 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round – a notable triumph for Williams, who arrived without much match rhythm. In 2023, she held a 2-6 record, while in 2024, it was 0-2, and she hasn't recorded any appearances in the last 16 months.

In March of this year, a wildcard for Williams at Indian Wells was reportedly confirmed, though it all turned out to be a misunderstanding. Williams herself denied her participation after the announcement, stating she had never received a formal invitation and wouldn't even be in the US during the tournament weeks. A couple of weeks later, she was seen training with Ons Jabeur in Miami – prior to the Miami Open – though these were simply appearances to enjoy some time on court.

The 45-year-old tennis legend will once again make her return to the courts for a professional match, and she has already learned her opponent after the DC Open main draw was announced. She will face none other than World No. 28 Peyton Stearns.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion will be looking to pull off another surprise – just as she did against Kudermetova in Cincinnati in 2023. If she manages to defeat the American, she will face potentially Magdalena Frech.

The DC Open tournament is a stop that many top players habitually take advantage of, precisely before the WTA 1000 events of the North American hardcourt swing – the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open – which are to be played in the coming weeks. This part of the year then culminates with the fourth Grand Slam, the US Open.

Unfortunately, this Saturday we learned of the regrettable withdrawal of the second seed, and World No. 6 Zheng Qinwen, who underwent surgery and is virtually ruled out for the entire North American swing.

However, DC still boasts a draw full of heavy hitters, led by local stars Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, and Emma Navarro. They won't be the only significant names, as players like Paula Badosa, Elena Rybakina, and Ekaterina Alexandrova are also included. It's a luxury draw that features seven players within the top 20.

As if some of the top-ranked players weren't enough for the tournament, and the seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, there will be the inclusion of wildcard Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who, with a ranking of World No. 45, is one of the "lower-ranked" players in the draw. The tournament, which is still in its qualifying rounds, will begin its main draw this Monday, while the men's tournament will also be played in parallel. It will be the first hardcourt appearance for the vast majority of the stars.