Venus Williams waves to the crowd after a doubles match with Hailey Baptiste against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Washington Open 2025: Venus Williams Makes Winning Comeback In Doubles, Aged 45
Competing at a tournament for the first time in more than a year, and in doubles for the first time in nearly three, Venus Williams hit a big serve on her initial delivery at the Washington Open on Monday (July 21, 2025) and, curiously, it was wiped out by a foot-fault call. The 45-year-old Williams, an owner of 21 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles, smiled incredulously, as did the other three players involved in the match in front of a full crowd that eventually included NBA star Kevin Durant. And then Williams carried on, displaying her trademark power on some strokes while teaming with Hailey Baptiste for a 6-3, 6-1 victory against 2014 Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue.
Washington Open 2025 Venus Williams
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Venus Williams hits a ball toward the crowd after a doubles match with Hailey Baptiste against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Citi Open Tennis Tournament
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Venus Williams, right, and Hailey Baptiste, left, start to celebrate after they defeated Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue in a doubles match at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Washington Tennis
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Hailey Baptiste, top left, and Venus Williams top right, compete during a doubles match against Eugenie Bouchard, bottom right, and Clervie Ngounoue, bottom left, at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Washington Open 2025
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Eugenie Bouchard, right, and Clervie Ngounoue, left, react during a doubles match against Hailey Baptiste and Venus Williams at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Washington Tennis Tournament
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Hailey Baptiste, top left, and Venus Williams top right, compete during a doubles match against Eugenie Bouchard, bottom left, and Clervie Ngounoue, bottom right, at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Hailey Baptiste Washington Open 2025
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Hailey Baptiste returns the ball during a doubles match with Venus Williams against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Washington Open 2025
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Venus Williams reaches for the ball during a doubles match with Hailey Baptiste against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
Citi Open Tennis Tournament Venus Williams
| Photo: AP/Nick Wass
Venus Williams reaches for the ball during a doubles match with Hailey Baptiste against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington.
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