Venus Williams' triumphant comeback on outer court steals DC Open show: Leaves stadium empty for Opelka

Tuesday, 22 July 2025 at 08:34

Venus Williams stretching before playing her first round match at the 2024 Cincinnati Open

Venus Williams made a successful return to professional tennis at the DC Open after 16 months away from the courts. Before her first singles appearance of the year, the former world No. 1 stepped onto the court first in doubles, where she teamed up with fellow American Hailey Baptiste to defeat the pair of Clervie Ngounoue and local favorite Eugenie Bouchard.

It was a highly anticipated match for the doubles draw, marking the return to the courts of the 7-time Grand Slam champion. At 45 years old, she decided she wanted to make another appearance on court, continually refusing to retire.

If there were criticisms about the wildcard she received in singles, Williams showed this afternoon that she's still at a competitive level after also receiving a wildcard in the doubles draw and joining her compatriot for a notable 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Across the net was none other than former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, a star who also benefited from a wildcard – joining American Claire Ngounoue – as she played her penultimate professional tournament. Genie, 31, announced just a few days ago that she will retire at the upcoming Canadian Open, which begins next week.

Williams steals the show, leaving main Stadium empty

At the John Harris Grand Stand, in front of a large crowd, the Venus Williams match stole all the attention at the DC Open. Interestingly, while the main stadium hosted a men's singles match, most of the fans present flocked to the John Harris Grand Stand to witness the return of the 7-time Grand Slam champion.

The main stadium saw a tight match between Reilly Opelka and Murphy Cassone, with Opelka winning 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 6-3. However, it took a backseat, as the star of the day was Venus Williams, who at 45 remains the oldest active player on the WTA Tour, now in her 32nd season playing WTA tournaments.

Crowd for Venus Williams' *doubles* match in Washington.

vs. crowd for ATP singles R1 in Washington. pic.twitter.com/s30v0KbWiZ
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 21, 2025

Untroubled Victory

The match began with a quick break in favor of the Bouchard/Ngounoue duo, who then used their serve to go up 2-0, taking an early lead. However, these were among the few moments when Williams and Baptiste were down. After being down 1-3, the all-American duo raised their level, winning 12 of the next 14 games.

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD 🫨

Williams/Baptiste come up with some excellent shotmaking en route to taking the first set 6-3 vs Ngounoue/Bouchard.#MubadalaDCCitiOpen pic.twitter.com/bLDpjfqHRo
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 21, 2025

They secured a total of 6 breaks on 13 opportunities, conceding only 2 to the Bouchard/Ngounoue pair on 9 opportunities. It was a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory for Williams and Baptiste, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTA 500. The 45-year-old American added 108 points, allowing her to reappear in the doubles ranking, climbing over 9,000 positions to world No. 569.

"Playing here is like playing at home," Williams acknowledged after the match. "Definitely a love affair with DC and also a great opportunity to play in the US," Williams said of her wild-card invite. "This is very special for me to come back and play tennis. I think it's a surprise for the fans and a surprise in general."

The former doubles world No. 1 will have another opportunity to play doubles with Baptiste in a couple of days, while still waiting to find out their opponents, who will be the winners between Cristian Bucșa and Nicole Melichar against the second seeds Taylor Townsend (doubles world No. 2) and Shuai Zhang (doubles No. 15).

Still got it ❤️‍🔥@Venuseswilliams and Hailey Baptiste knock out Bouchard/Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the second round in Washington.#MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/1pyJZWG96f
— wta (@WTA) July 21, 2025

Approaching the net like she never left. Venus is bringing that vintage fire. #QueenV 👑 pic.twitter.com/666Srsvijx
— inspirational ❤️ (@VeeSTARWilliams) July 21, 2025

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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