Venus Williams\u00a0will make her return from a 16-month layoff at this week’s DC Open, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion saying Sunday she is not sure of anything beyond that.<\/p>\n
The 45-year-old American overcame a serious health scare last year and after enjoying a visit to Wimbledon decided to accept a wildcard into the US capital tournament, the first hardcourt tuneup for the US Open.<\/p>\n
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“I think I know what I want to do, but I don’t always want to talk about it,” Williams said. “I’m just here for now. And who knows? Maybe there is more. I hold my cards close, but at the moment, I’m focused just on this.”<\/p>\n
Williams will open against 23-year-old American Peyton Stearns, ranked 34th in the world. Stearns won her only WTA title last year on clay at Rabat.<\/p>\n
The older sister of\u00a023-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams has not played since a first-round loss at Miami last year.<\/p>\n
“My personal goal is to have fun I think right now and enjoy the moment, not put too much pressure on myself,” Venus Williams said.<\/p>\n
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“I don’t know if I define success at this moment in any sort of way other than believing in myself and sticking to my process. That’s not easy to do, especially after a layoff. So those are my goals.”<\/p>\n
Venus Williams, the 2000 Sydney Olympic singles champion, has won five Wimbledon singles titles and two US Open crowns.<\/p>\n
The most recent of her 49 WTA titles came in 2019 at the Taiwan Open. That was the last year she played a full tour schedule.<\/p>\n
“I definitely feel I’ll play well,” Williams said. “I’m still the same player. I’m a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.<\/p>\n
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“So it’s about hitting big and actually putting it in. So this will be my effort. Put it in the court. That’s my main goal.”<\/p>\n
A year ago, tennis was far from the most important thing on her mind.<\/p>\n
“Yeah, my health journey was very scary. You know, this time a year ago I was preparing to go to surgery,” she said. “There was no way for me to play tennis or play the US Open… I was just trying to get healthy.<\/p>\n
“In this last year, I have been through a lot physically, so to come back and be able to play and hopefully enjoy myself is a great opportunity.”<\/p>\n
– ‘Fun of the challenge’ –<\/p>\n
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Williams was feeling well enough to accept a wildcard and a visit to Wimbledon added some inspiration.<\/p>\n
“I had been hitting the ball and of course I love the game and the hard courts. It’s my favorite surface, what I feel comfortable on. so all those different factors,” Williams said of her choice to play in Washington.<\/p>\n
“When I went to Wimbledon this year, I was there for a day and it was so beautiful and exciting. I remembered all the times that I had, and of course the adrenaline, all those things.<\/p>\n
“I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge, overcoming. Those things are very exciting.”<\/p>\n
The seven Slam singles titles by Williams match the rest of the Washington field, which includes four-time Grand Slam champion\u00a0Naomi Osaka of Japan.<\/p>\n
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