Venus Williams has won her first WTA match since August 2023 after beating Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open.
Williams returned to the WTA Tour at 45 years old after 16 months away from the matchcourt.
The former world number one played her first match in doubles, with Williams and Hailey Baptiste winning in straight sets.
Not many people had expected Williams to beat the record-breaking American Peyton Stearns, but she did just that.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesNaomi Osaka and Billie Jean King send messages to Venus Williams
Williams beat world number 35 Stearns, 6-3 6-4, in her first round match at the Washington Open this year.
There has been a huge reaction to this result, with Williams beating a WTA player 22 years her junior.
One of the many people to send a message to Williams was four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who also won her first round match at the Washington Open.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Osaka simply wrote, “My queen (crown emoji, happy tears emoji and four love heart emojis).”
My queen 👑🥹❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) July 23, 2025
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Osaka was not the only Grand Slam champion who wished Williams well, with Billie Jean King also posting her reactions to social media.
In a short video, King was full of praise for seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams.
“Venus. What a champion!” said King. “Great going tonight, you played beautifully and good luck in your next round and beyond. And I hope I get to see you soon. Fantastic, what a champion!”
After her win at the Washington Open, Williams spoke to former doubles world number one Rennae Stubbs in the on-court interview.
Stubbs has previously coached Serena Williams, and sent Venus a follow-up message after interviewing her.
“What a night! What a champ and guys, medical insurance is expensive! (laughing face emoji),” Stubbs joked in reference to what Williams had said in the interview.
Venus Williams and ATP player make history this week
There are many records that Williams has achieved this week, including becoming the second oldest player in history to win a WTA match.
While Williams is the most notable victory so far this week, she is not the only tennis veteran to have won a match.
On the ATP Tour, Stan Wawrinka is the only 40-year-old in the top 1000 in the rankings, and also won his first round match at the Croatia Open this week.
Following Williams’ win over Stearns, they have become the first 40+ duo to win in the same week on the respective tours since 1979.
1979 – Two players aged 40+ (Stan Wawrinka and Venus Wiliams) have won ATP and WTA-level matches in the same week for the first time since Ken Rosewall (Brisbane) and Renee Richards (Phoenix) in October 1979. Vintage.@atptour @ATPMediaInfo @WTA @WTA_insider
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) July 23, 2025
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The last time this happened was when the oldest Grand Slam champion in history, Ken Rosewall, won a match in Brisbane, while Renee Richards claimed victory in Phoenix.
Williams will next take to the doubles court alongside Baptiste again, before playing her second round singles match at the Washington Open against Magdalena Frech.
AloJapan.com