WASHINGTON — Competing at a tournament for the first time in more than a year, and in doubles for the first time in nearly three, Venus Williams hit a big serve on her initial delivery at the DC Open on Monday and, curiously, it was wiped out by a foot-fault call.
The 45-year-old Williams, owner of 21 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles, smiled incredulously, as did the other three players involved in the match in front of a full crowd that eventually included NBA star Kevin Durant. And then Williams carried on, displaying her trademark power on some strokes and missing others while teaming with Hailey Baptiste for a 6-3, 6-1 victory against 2014 Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue.
“My personal goal is to have fun I think right now, and enjoy the moment, not put too much pressure on myself,” Williams said Sunday as she prepared to return to action for the first time since the Miami Open in March 2024. “Of course I love winning. I want to win. But more than anything, I just want to get the best out of myself. If I can do that, then I’ll be fine.”
She did both — winning, yes, and contributing plenty to the cause, but also having a good time, high-fiving or fist-bumping Baptiste after some of their best points, laughing after others and waving to an appreciative crowd that roared over and over for Williams. She and Baptiste hugged when it ended.
It was full at 3,000-seat John Harris Court, where Durant showed up late in the first set, while across the way at the 7,500-capacity main stadium, only a few dozen spectators were scattered in the seats for an all-American singles match involving Reilly Opelka against Murphy Cassone.
Asked to comment about the court assignments, tournament director Daniel Vallverdú said: “The tournament works to balance full singles and doubles ATP and WTA schedules, while coordinating with broadcaster requests for court assignments.”
When Williams, wearing a white visor as she so often did, was introduced before participating in doubles for the first time since the 2022 US Open — when her partner was younger sister Serena — the stadium announcer mentioned that Venus has “one of the best serves in the history of the game,” that she “turned pro in the last century” and “has won everything.”
That includes 7 major singles trophies — 5 at Wimbledon, 2 at the US Open — and an additional 14 in doubles with Serena, plus 4 Olympic gold medals.
“She’s one of the best athletes of all time,” said Frances Tiafoe, a two-time US Open semifinalist whose twin brother, Franklin, is a coach for Baptiste. “Her and her sister, they’re not only great for the women’s game, not only great for women’s sports, but they are so iconic. People are going to go crazy to see her.”
They sure did Monday, standing with phone cameras raised high when Venus first appeared at the court.
There will be other opportunities to see her this week: In singles, Williams is set to face Peyton Stearns, a 23-year-old American ranked No. 35 who won NCAA singles and team championships at the University of Texas.
“I was surprised to see [Williams] in the draw this week,” said Emma Navarro, a US Open semifinalist a year ago and seeded No. 2 in Washington. “She’s obviously a legend of the game. I saw a video on Instagram of her hitting out here on the practice courts — that backhand, you can’t miss. Good for her. She’s sticking with it at her age.”
Williams’ long absence from tennis was unwanted: She spoke in an interview with NBC earlier this month about having a procedure to remove fibroids from her uterus.
“My health journey was very scary,” she said Sunday. “This time a year ago I was preparing to go to surgery. There was no way for me to play tennis or play the US Open — or those things weren’t even on my mind. I was just trying to get healthy. … Things really change in a year. They really do.”
