Venus Williams has accepted a wild‑card entry to compete in the singles draw at this month’s DC Open—marking her return to tournament play after more than a year away from the tour. The seven‑time Grand Slam champion, who celebrated her 45th birthday in June, is currently classified as “inactive” on the WTA Tour website. Her last official match took place at the 2024 Miami Open.
Reflecting on her decision, Williams said, "There’s something truly special about D.C.—the energy, the fans, the history. This city has always shown me so much love, and I can’t wait to compete there again." The hard‑court event kicks off with qualifying rounds next weekend. She previously participated in the DC tournament in 2022.
Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, praised Williams: "She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court. I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer."
Earlier this year, Williams had said that she would be making a comeback at the Indian Wells tournament, but later backtracked. Her most recent Grand Slam appearances were at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2023, where she exited both events in the first round - the Wimbledon match also saw her sustain a knee injury.
Williams’s major titles include five Wimbledon singles championships (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008) and two U.S. Open singles wins (2000, 2001). Alongside her sister Serena, she secured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and, in total, earned four Olympic gold medals. In 2011, Venus revealed she had been diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain.
