Venus Williams becomes oldest match winner on WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova after landmark DC Open win

Venus Williams through the night in her first match in 16 months stunned Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 to win at the DC Open with the 45-year-old prevailing over the World No.35 to become the oldest match winner since Martina Navratilova.

Williams needed one hour and 37 minutes to defeat the 23-year-old and beats the record set by Navratilova who beat Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004 which was over 21 years ago.

"You know, it's the first step, and the first match is always extremely difficult," Williams said after the match. "It's hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off.

"So going into the match, I know I have the ability to win, but it's all about actually winning. So this is the best result, to play a good match and win. I'm here with my friends, family, people I love, and the fans, too, who I love and they love me, so this has been just a beautiful night."

Already the oldest player to contest a tour level singles match, Williams will get to play at least one more and is also still in the doubles. Kimiko Date lost in the first round in Tokyo and was 46 when she did so back in 2017. It is a first singles win since 2023 Cincinnati for Williams who looked superb both in her doubles and now her singles.

"There are no limits for excellence," Williams added. "It's all about what's in your head and how much you're able to put into it. If you put in the work mentally, physically, and emotionally, then you can have the result.

"It doesn't matter how many times you fall down. Doesn't matter how many times you get sick or get hurt or whatever it is. If you continue to believe and put in the work, there is an opportunity, there is space for you."

She now moves on to play another player on the cusp of the higher echelons of the rankings in Magdalena Frech who saw off Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-4 on Monday.

The tone was set in the other direction early on as she got the break back and continued to press Stearns into errors en route to winning the opening set. Stearns looked to avoid the barrage and went 3-1 up in the second with a love break but Williams reeled off the next four games to be on the verge of a shell shocking win.

Williams had four match points that she could not convert. Stearns held on and Williams had a fifth match point come and go and faced a break point as a result.

But Williams evaded that and earned a sixth match point as Stearns netted a return. Williams then produced a superb serve to avert danger and move through with 71% of her first serve points won and 70% returning second serves.

Utterly superb from Williams who was heavily criticised in the runup once again for even being involved at 45. She certainly has attracted the crowds and given herself the feeling that even at 45, she can still do it at the highest level.

A player doing it for the love of the game and as she jested for the money to pay for the insurance as she is set to get married to her actor beau Andrea Preti as the good news continues to come post her win.

In her career she has won Olympic Gold in both singles and doubles, seven majors including five Wimbledon titles and two US Opens. To see her even still on the court is a marvel but winning is a different matter.