Venus Williams says that she is returning to the sport after a 16-month absence because of her ‘love of the game’, and also hinted that Serena Williams may yet do the same in the near future.

The 45 year old is due to come back to the sport which she once helped dominate at the 2025 Citi DC Open.

Peyton Stearns will be her opening-round opponent, with the two having never played.

Williams last competed professionally at the Miami Open in 2024, where she fell to Diana Shnaider in straight-sets. More remarkably, the American hasn’t won a singles match since the Cincinnati Masters a year prior.

In late 2023, she shut down her season after the US Open to let a knee injury heal naturally, something which continued into 2024.

“Why not?” the seven-time Grand Slam champion quipped, when asked why she is returning to the sport after her extended break.

“This time I had been hitting the ball. And of course I love the game, and the hard courts, it’s my favourite surface, what I feel comfortable on. So, all those different factors.

“As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion. I loved the game so much, I didn’t realize that it would be so much bigger than myself.

“And seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation, too, it’s like I could have never imagined that. So, it’s like icing on the cake, cherries on top with the nuts and all the fixings. It’s beautiful.”

Williams also dipped into the commentating world during the French Open for TNT Sports, providing her highly-valued analysis.

“I think it could be very easy to say the wrong thing, is what I realized when I was live on the air,” said Williams.

“I was, like, ‘Just be careful. Don’t say the wrong thing. Don’t be too opinionated,’ because I have a lot of opinions, and many of them possibly unfounded.

“So, I’m glad I got out of it without being cancelled!”

Whilst Williams will be getting the majority of the attention during the tournament, heads were turned after her younger sister – Serena – was spotted practising.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion officially retired from professional tennis at the US Open in 2022, but has sparked renewed interest that she may make a return in one way or another.

“She can take six months off and she clocks it clean,” Williams joked, speaking about her younger sister.

“You can’t teach that kind of talent. She’s just so good. I don’t know what she’s going to do. I don’t ask those questions. I think we always hit the ball, because that’s who we are, we’re always hitting.

“Quite frankly, it’s great cardio. You get great legs and great arms from tennis, quiet as it’s kept. So obviously that’s part of her goal too is to stay in shape. I mean, I keep saying to my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here,’ like we always did everything together, so of course I miss her. But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let y’all know.

“You know, I believe in love and those around me, so my family, my friends. They keep me going and keep me grounded.

“Those are the people that are there for you when the things are lowest. They’re there for you also when the things are highest, because also it’s hard too when you’re high and trying to maintain that and trying to deal with what’s happening when you’re high and low.