Venus Williams Loses in Round of 16 at DC Open
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SportsLine tennis expert Blake Von Hagen reveals his 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open picks for Tuesday's women's first-round match between Peyton Stearns and Venus Williams
Williams could not overcome 27-year-old Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the tournament on Thursday, July 24. Williams has not won back-to-back matches since 2019. Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste won their first-round match in doubles play on Monday, but the duo fell short of reaching the third round.
Venus Williams joked this week that she only returned to tennis to get back on the WTA’s health insurance. Venus Williams just came back from a 16-month break from professional tennis. But she didn’t return because she missed playing — rather, she missed her health insurance.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion had not played a WTA Tour match since March of 2024 and had not won one since 2023.
Champion tennis player Venus Williams says she’s coming out of retirement because she needs health insurance, but industry experts say her example shows how little Americans understand their health care options.
Williams, one of the all-time great tennis players, participated in the DC Open for her first professional match in over a year, and the 45-year-old wasn't just there to play, she was there to compete. Williams defeated world No. 35 Peyton Stearns for her first win since August 2023.
Venus Williams, days after becoming the oldest player to win a WTA Tour singles match in 21 years, lost in the second round of the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Thursday in Washington.