Tennis icon Venus Williams made a dazzling return to competition at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, clinching a dominant victory in the women’s doubles round of 16 after a 16-month break. Partnering with fellow American Hailey Baptiste, the 45-year-old former world number one cruised past Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1.
Standing ovation for Venus Williams. pic.twitter.com/kUCSTwogvU
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 21, 2025
This marked her first doubles appearance in three years, and her first match overall since the 2024 Miami Open. Her last win came at the Cincinnati Open in August 2023. The crowd erupted with emotion as the unranked Venus stepped onto the John Harris Court. Every seat was filled, with fans cheering loudly and full of excitement. She dropped just four games in her return, sending a strong message to anyone who doubted her competitive spirit.
Venus will begin her singles run against Peyton Stearns on Tuesday, looking to continue her comeback momentum.
Next stop: US Open mixed doubles for Venus
Venus isn’t stopping in Washington, as she’s also set to compete in the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. The USTA has released an updated entry list for the reimagined event, which will take place during Fan Week on August 19–20 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. A total of 25 teams are confirmed so far, with $1 million in prize money being awarded to the winners.
Williams will partner with Reilly Opelka, forming one of the most intriguing teams in the entry list. The final field will include the top eight teams by combined singles ranking as of July 28, with eight wildcards to be announced afterward.
The star-studded entry list for the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship also features:
Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner
Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune
Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Musetti
Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz
Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev
Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev
Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe
Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul
Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov
Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev
Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz
Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur
Donna Vekic and Hubert Hurkacz
Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios
Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton
Iva Jovic and Jenson Brooksby
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori
Gaby Dabrowski and Felix Auger-Aliassime
Demi Schuurs and Tallon Griekspoor
Katerina Siniakova and Marcelo Arevalo
Desirae Krawczyk and Evan King
Su-Wei Hsieh and Jan Zielinski
