US Open: 45-year-old Venus Williams turns back the clock, but falls in fighting return

Legendary Venus Williams put up a show in her first-round match at the US Open on August 28. Returning after a gap of 16 months in Grand Slam competition, the 45-year-old former US Open champion took the attack to Karolina Muchova on Tuesday.

Even at age 45, Venus Williams displayed some big serves and powerful groundstrokes in front of a supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, before losing 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to Muchova.

Williams was the oldest singles player at the hard-court tournament since Renee Richards in 1981. She started slowly, ceding 11 of the initial 13 points and falling behind 2-0. With members of the crowd shouting, “Let’s go, Venus!” and roaring after her winners, and her fiance, Andrea Preti, leaping out of his seat, Williams took the next three games to go ahead 3-2, before Muchova grabbed the next four to claim that set.

US Open 2025, Day 2: Updates

But Williams broke to begin the second set on her way to tying the match. In the third set, though, 2023 French Open runner-up Muchova, who is 29, was simply too good for the legendary US star.

As Venus walked out of the stadium, she bid a lengthy goodbye to the fans, with commentators hoping that she would be back next year.

The support at the Arthur Ashe on Tuesday stressed Muchova out. She had to battle her nerves despite being in much better physical condition than Venus, who returned after a lengthy absence following surgery for uterine fibroids.

“I was stressed. You guys make me stressed. No, it was an unbelievable atmosphere. I mean she’s such a legend of our sport. It’s so nice to share the court with her. I’m just glad that I was lucky to win today,” Muchova admitted in the on-court interview.

Tennis: Check out all updates here

Venus hasn’t won a match at the US Open in singles since 2019, when she got to the second round. Since then, Williams exited in the first round in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and missed the tournament in 2021 and 2024.

Williams won two of her seven major singles championships at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001. The other five came at Wimbledon.

Since making her professional debut in 1994, she’s also collected 14 Grand Slam trophies in women’s doubles alongside her younger sister, Serena, plus two in mixed doubles, earned a record five Olympic tennis medals and reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

Through the years, both siblings transcended their sport and became much more than successful athletes. Serena, who won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, played her last match at the 2022 US Open.