July 12, 2025
This will be the 45-year-old’s first official match in more than a year.
Tennis legend Venus Williams will return to professional tennis at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
The event is set to take place July 21 to 27 in Washington, DC. The tennis icon, now 45, seven-time Grand Slam champion accepted an invitation to compete in the main draw as a wild card, the Women’s Tennis Association announced. This will be the 45-year-old’s first official match in more than a year. Williams last appeared on the WTA circuit at the Miami Open in March 2024.
The Olympian has been listed as inactive on the WTA’s official website. She spoke about her excitement to return to the fold and her love of DC.
“There’s something truly special about DC: the energy, the fans, the history,” Williams stated in a press release from the tournament organizers. “This city has always shown me so much love, and I can’t wait to compete there again.”
Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, talked about the excitement surrounding Williams’s return.
“She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,” Ein said. “I know how much it means to our DC fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.”
Her last Grand Slam appearances were in 2023, where she exited early at both Wimbledon and the US Open. The upcoming DC Open, a WTA 500 event, will offer Williams the opportunity to compete against top-tier players. Other notable players expected to participate include Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Raducanu.
Off of the tennis court, Williams continues to expand her career options. It was recently announced Venus will host a new podcast on X alongside her champion sister, Serena Williams. The “Unfiltered Truth” podcast is set to launch in August 2025. There has been some controversy over the sisters using the Elon Musk platform to host their podcast.
Venus and Serena promise open and candid discussions about all topics and interviews with “visionaries, creators, and rulebreakers.”
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