New York: Forty-five years old Venus Williams’ return to the US Open singles arena after a two-year absence has stirred the tennis world, with much attention on her age, but fellow players and fans believe her iconic status outweighs numbers on paper.
Williams, who will face 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on August 25, is competing in a Grand Slam singles match for the first time since 2022. Her comeback follows surgery for uterine fibroids and a 16-month break from competitive play.
“It’s really inspiring,” said four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. “I don’t like that every headline mentions her age. What matters more is how much of a legend she is in this sport.”
Widely recognised as a pioneer of equal prize money and as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Venus presence continues to resonate beyond the court.
Frances Tiafoe, two-time US Open semifinalist, described her and sister Serena as “so iconic, not just for women’s tennis but for sports as a whole.”
The Williams sisters’ story remains one of the most remarkable in tennis: trained by their self-taught father, both rose to World No. 1 rankings, with Serena collecting 23 major singles titles and Venus herself winning seven Grand Slam singles trophies, including two at the US Open and five at Wimbledon. Together, the sisters also clinched 14 women’s doubles majors and two in mixed doubles.
Coco Gauff, who defeated Venus at Wimbledon in 2019 as a 15-year-old, has often said her career was made possible by Venus pathbreaking journey. Leylah Fernandez, 2021 US Open runner-up, echoed that admiration: “It’s so cool to see a legend still playing, still doing what she loves. You can see the kid in her.”
Venus, who in 2000 became the first Black woman since Althea Gibson to win Wimbledon, remains committed to inspiring future generations. Speaking recently, she said: “It’s amazing that now African-American girls know they can play tennis, that it’s an option and an opportunity for them to be out there, too.”
As play begins at Flushing Meadows, Venus’ appearance is seen less as an age-defying statistic and more as a reminder of her enduring influence — on sport, culture and opportunity.
