Venus Williams' return ends with second-round loss in Citi DC Open

Washington, Jul 25 (AP) — When Venus Williams concluded her quest for a first winning streak since 2019 with a forehand that landed just long, attendees at the D.C. Open's main stadium stood to applaud her. She greeted the ovation with a smile and a signature pirouette and wave, usually reserved for victories.

Williams had not played competitively for over a year. Although her journey in the tournament ended with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to 24th-ranked Magdalena Frech in the second round on Thursday night, the return to action was significant for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and her fans.

“Oh, I had so much fun. Not the result I wanted, but a learning experience nonetheless. The essence of sports and life is that the learning never stops,” said the 45-year-old Williams.

“I got to play numerous matches here, which was definitely a plus. D.C. fans are just epic. I couldn't be happier with my comeback week.” Her triumph in the first round against 35th-ranked Peyton Stearns made Williams the oldest woman to win a singles match at the tour level since Martina Navratilova achieved the feat at age 47 in 2004.

This victory marked Williams' first in singles since 2023. She humorously noted that her drive to triumph was partly fueled by the desire to renew her eligibility for the WTA's health insurance plan after being absent for so long.

This hard-court tournament was Williams' first event since March 2024, following a hiatus due to surgery for uterine fibroids.

“Access to health care is crucial — being able to see the best doctors for whatever you’re facing is essential,” Williams commented. “It’s a humorous moment, but it touches on a serious issue many face.”

Williams also claimed a doubles victory in Washington. Playing a total of four matches — two in singles and two in doubles — over four days finally took its toll on her.

“I felt like I ran out of gas today, unfortunately,” Williams remarked. “I tried to muster the energy, but couldn't.”

The last time Williams secured at least two consecutive wins was August 2019 at the Cincinnati Open, where she achieved three victories before being defeated by Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.

In the match against Frech, Williams initially led 2-1. However, Frech captured seven games in a row, seizing the first set and leading 2-0 in the second.

Frech, a 27-year-old from Poland, achieved her best Grand Slam result by reaching the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open before losing to Coco Gauff.

“I can’t even imagine how she pushes herself,” Frech said regarding Williams. “It’s truly remarkable.”

The spotlight under the lights was squarely on Williams, whose arrival on the court with a green exercise band was met with loud cheers. Each of Williams' powerful groundstrokes prompted roars from the stadium crowd.

The challenge for Williams was consistently calibrating her shots. On one occasion, she rushed forward to a short ball from Frech only to send her forehand long, handing Frech a 3-2 lead.

Williams would occasionally hang her head or slump her shoulders after mistakes, accumulating 14 unforced errors in the first set, more than double Frech's count. Fans responded with an “Awwww” before rallying to cheer her on.

Chants of “Venus!” with rhythmic clapping sounded as Williams broke to close in at 4-2, but she couldn’t capture another game.

“There are so many lessons to glean from this,” Williams noted. “I know exactly what I need to improve. The good news is I control the point; I just need to ensure the ball lands in.”

Williams has accepted a wild-card invitation to participate in the Cincinnati Open next month.

On Thursday, top-seeded Jessica Pegula was defeated by 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 1-6, 7-5. Additionally, Emma Raducanu triumphed over Naomi Osaka in their first encounter, winning 6-4, 6-2 in a clash of former U.S. Open champions.

In the men's draw, top seeds who advanced include No. 1 Taylor Fritz, No. 4 Ben Shelton, No. 6 Frances Tiafoe, No. 7 Alex de Minaur, No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, No. 12 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and No. 14 Brandon Nakashima. (AP)

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