Only time will tell whether this marks the final appearance of Venus Williams at the US Open. The 45-year-old American tennis legend produced a spirited first-round performance against Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova, falling to a 6-3 2-6 6-1 defeat in front of an appreciative crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Despite the result, the seven-time Grand Slam champion showed she still has something to offer at the top level. Her competitive level and clean ball-striking raised hopes of further appearances, although Williams herself chose not to speculate on what lies ahead.
Speaking in an emotional post-match press conference, Williams reflected on her long journey back from serious health issues that have plagued her in recent years.
“Getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” she said. “When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind too. So it was nice to be freer.”
Her final words were cut short after a long pause, during which she became visibly emotional.
Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, an incurable autoimmune condition causing pain, fatigue and numbness. More recently, she revealed how painful fibroids had also affected her ability to compete.
The defeat to Muchova provided a clear contrast to their previous meeting at the 2020 US Open, which Williams recalled with discomfort.
“I wasn’t well. I was in so much pain. Today it’s night and day how much better I felt,” she said. “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to play feeling better.”
Earlier this season, Williams was officially classed as an inactive player, having gone a full year without competing. Then, in a surprise move during Wimbledon, she confirmed her return to the tour, entering the Washington Open.
There, she defeated world number 35 Peyton Stearns, offering a glimpse of her enduring class and fuelling hope for further matches. After a first-round defeat in Cincinnati, she received a wildcard for a record-extending 25th US Open appearance.
While some questioned whether a player with one win in over two years should be included in the main draw, others argued that a figure of Williams’ stature deserves every opportunity to compete. Her performance against Muchova went some way to settling that debate.
After a slow start in which she won just two of the first 13 points, Williams gradually found her rhythm. A roar from the crowd greeted her first point, and the atmosphere lifted as she began to settle into the match.
An improved service game helped spark her recovery, with greater fluency and timing following. For much of the second set, her ball-striking was as crisp as it had been in years. But having played only four matches in the past 18 months, Williams understandably faded in the deciding set, as Muchova tightened her game and served with authority.
Williams had made her point, though, and when asked whether she planned to enter more tournaments later this year, she gave a typically elusive response.
“Are there any tournaments in the States? Can someone move a tournament here?” she quipped. “I don’t know that I’m willing to travel that far at this stage in my career to go play. I love playing. But my goal is to do what I want to do.”