Venus Williams returns to tennis, hopes her sister Serena will end retirement and join her

Independent Singapore

2 days ago

INTERNATIONAL: American tennis player Venus Williams is back on the tennis scene and preparing for her first match in more than a year. She will make her comeback at the DC Open. She admitted she would be even happier if her younger sister, Serena Williams, also played with her.
The athlete's most recent tournament was the Miami Open in March 2024, where she was unfortunately knocked out in the first round. As she has not competed since then, the official WTA Tour marks her as 'inactive' on their website.
Her sister, Serena Williams, has not played tennis since the 2022 US Open. During her athletic journey, Serena won 23 major singles titles and 14 more in the doubles category with Venus.
Venus admitted: 'I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her… But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know.' See also Singaporean graduate referee Taqi goes to Qatar World Cup
'I don't know what she's going to do. I don't ask those questions… I think we always hit the ball, because that's who we are. We're always hitting,' the athlete added.
She stated that Serena came by and played with her during her recent practice session, which took about 15 to 20 minutes.
'She can take six months off and she clocks it clean,' Venus said. 'You can't teach that kind of talent. She's just so good,' the athlete also shared.
About her comeback, Venus remarked: '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, as I hold my cards tight.'
'I'm just here for now, and who knows?… Maybe there's more. … But at the moment, I'm focused just on this. I haven't played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously, coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand,' she added. See also Canadian Vasek Pospisil ends Davis Cup career
DC Open chairman Mark Ein admitted that he was shocked that Venus agreed to play in Washington through a wildcard entry. Ein declared: 'She's such an icon of the sport — and, importantly, both on and off the court… So anytime you can have her engaged and have the spotlight on her and everything she's done and continues to do, it's hugely positive.'
On social media, netizens showed their support to Venus by stating: 'Fans want to see Venus and she is an amazing ambassador for the sport and for female athletes. I'm thrilled she is still competing. ❤️,' and 'I will say it again, champions get to retire when they are ready. She has earned every wild card she gets for what she has given to the game.'
However, some netizens were not thrilled by her comeback and commented that she should now retire and offer the wildcard spot to a younger player. One netizen declared: 'It's time. Let someone else play that needs the ranking points, the money, and the experience. We love you, Venus, but it's time. Join the Legends bracket.'
Another netizen remarked: 'Taking a wildcard spot from people who have been working their tail off for the opportunity is wild work. Just stay retired and enjoy being one of the greats!'