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Venus Williams is not ready to commit to her plans beyond the U.S. Open, but the seven-time Grand Slam champion made it clear on Wednesday that she should not be counted out of future WTA events.
“I'm very much in the moment,” Williams said when asked about playing anymore in 2025, as reported by D'Arcy Maine of ESPN. “I don't think you should ever rule me out. That's all I can say.”
The 45-year-old spoke to reporters ahead of her first-round match at the Cincinnati Open, where she received a wild card entry. Williams, who has battled injuries and recently underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids, said her return is focused solely on the North American hard-court swing.
“I think tennis is always in the back of my head, but I felt like I had time,” Williams said. “As strange as that sounds, I felt like I had time just to get well and when I was on the court, I was always working on my game. I didn't just go and let it all fall apart, even if it was just a half an hour, just try to get something out of it. And there's obviously, it's no secret that you get great legs and great arms with tennis, so I figured I may as well at least keep my figure. That's the very least we do.”
Venus Williams says comeback fueled by fan support
Williams had not played a match since the Miami Open in March 2024 before returning last month at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where she won her first-round singles and doubles matches. Her comeback, she said, has been fueled by the overwhelming support she received from fans.
“That kind of support has inspired me to give that same love back with my performance,” she said.
Williams is also expected to compete in the mixed doubles draw at the U.S. Open alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka. Wild cards for the singles draw have yet to be formally announced, but she is expected to receive one.
Her comeback follows months of speculation about her retirement, especially after false reports circulated about her playing at Indian Wells earlier this year. Williams laughed off the rumors, calling them “fake news,” but said she was touched by how excited fans had been.
“I was in Europe, I couldn't even be in the area,” Williams said. “I was like, ‘I wish I could play. I'm just not there.' And I just remember everyone was so happy that I felt sad to let everyone down and say, ‘I'm not playing.' I was like, ‘I don't want to break anyone's heart. I'm sorry it's not real and I'll not be there.'”
Williams, a five-time Wimbledon singles champion, made her pro debut in 1994 and currently holds 49 WTA singles titles and four Olympic gold medals. She faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the opening round.
