Venus Williams’ comeback came to an end as she bowed out of the DC Open 2025 on Thursday. She lost to world No. 24 Magdalena Frech in 6-2 6-2 straight sets.
The American began the match on a high note, holding a single game lead over Frech at 2-1 in the first set. However, her rival went on to dominate and ultimately lost to Frech in straight sets.
Venus Williams was bidding for her first winning streak since 2019 as she appeared in the tournament for the first time after 16 months of break.
“Oh, I had so much fun. Definitely not the result I wanted, but still a learning experience. The part about sport (and) life is that you never stop learning,” the 45-year-old Venus said. “I got to play a lot of matches here, and that definitely was a plus. The fans in D.C. are just epic. I couldn’t have been happier with my first week back.”
“There are so many learnings from here. I know exactly what I need to work on, where I can improve,” said Venus. “The good news is I’m always in control of the point. The important part is to put the ball in.”
In the process, the 45-year-old made history by becoming the oldest player to win a WTA singles match since 2004 when Martina Navratilova was 47.
The seven-grand slam champion won against 35th-ranked Peyton Stearns in the first round of the DC Open to achieve the feat.
Venus Williams is now expected to feature Cincinnati Open after receiving a wild card into the main draw entry. This will be the 11th appearance by Williams at the Cincinnati Open. She owns a 12-9 record at the tournament, having reached the semifinals in 2012 and quarterfinals in 2019.
The main draw of the Cincinnati Open begins on August 7. This tournament is a tune-up to the US Open–the final Grand Slam of the year.
Williams also grabbed headlines after she confirmed her engagement with Danish model-actor Andrea Preti.
Also Read: Andrea Preti: Venus Williams’ Fiancé; His Net Worth