Venus Williams 'grateful' for US Open opportunity to showcase 'freer' tennis as Karolina Muchova admits to 'stress' of facing 'legend'
Published 26/08/2025 at 08:26 GMT+1
Venus Williams' US Open return was as emotional as it was remarkable. The 45-year-old, who provided so many standout moments at Flushing Meadows during her hugely successful playing career, was listed as inactive on the WTA's system before her stunning return at the Washington Open last month. Williams said she was grateful for the chance to "be freer" on court after battling health issues.
Venus Williams of the United States reacts against Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic during their Women's Singles
Image credit: Getty Images
Venus Williams was "so grateful" for the opportunity to showcase "freer" tennis as her US Open return ended with a first-round defeat to Karolina Muchova.
Williams, who made an extraordinary return to the sport last month in Washington D.C. aged 45, certainly put on a show as she bowed out at Flushing Meadows - taking the second set off the No. 11 seed to force a pulsating contest, but Muchova eventually saw it through 6-3 2-6 6-1.
A winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles and 14 major doubles trophies alongside sister Serena, the peak of Williams' career was tarnished by health issues. In 2011, she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause joint and muscle pain, as well as fatigue.
Despite still going on to win titles after the diagnosis, Williams said in her post-match press conference on Tuesday that she was happy to showcase her game in a more healthy state.
"What did I prove to myself? I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy," Williams 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."
Williams was listed as inactive before her return last month, and is ranked as low as No. 582 in the WTA rankings. Her last Grand Slam appearance came at Flushing Meadows two years ago, and that was evident early on against Muchova as she was immediately broken to 15.
But she soon found her feet, and recovered three break points to hold her next serve, before playing her way back to parity with an excellent break - her hard-hitting ground-strokes beginning to come to the fore, with the Arthur Ashe crowd lapping up every single point won by the American.
A double-break at the end of the set was eventually Williams' undoing, but she recovered to immediately take the advantage in the second set by seizing Muchova's serve. The home favourite was rock-solid on serve, and claimed another break for 5-2 before serving out the set - levelling the match in emphatic style.
A third set, however, appeared a stretch too far for Williams, who was playing just her fourth match in 16 months. Muchova charged into a 3-0 lead before a second break sealed Williams' fate - but the raucous crowd on the showcase court let her know just what a valiant effort she had put up.
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"I was stressed," Muchova said in her on-court interview. "You guys make me stressed. No, it was an unbelievable atmosphere. She's such a legend of our sport, I understand. It's so nice to share a court with her. I'm just glad that I was lucky to win today."
Williams, meanwhile, said she was happy to justify her US Open wildcard with the kind of performances for which she had become synonymous.
"My goal is to do what I want to do," she said. "I wanted to be here this summer. I'm so grateful for all the folks who gave me a wildcard.
"They could have said, Hey, listen, you've been gone too long, you haven't won a lot of matches in the last few years. I wasn't lucky with my health and with injuries.
"But there were a lot of people who believed in me in these tournaments. I'm very grateful to have had that chance and that opportunity to make good on it and have a chance to really strike the ball.
"I play an exciting brand of tennis. It's a lot of fun to go literally hog wild out there and hit as hard as I can. I'm happiest when I can just hit hard.
"I think I played some matches in Cincinnati and D.C. where I didn't really understand how to control myself yet. So I think today was a lot better measure of, like, okay, you don't have to hit this one as hard as you can. Play a smart shot, then go for the next one, you know.
"You never stop learning. I learned so much. I'm still learning about myself. When I think about the match I played against her in 2020, I was so uncomfortable. I wasn't well. I was in so much pain.
"Today it's night and day how much better I felt, so I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to play feeling better, and at that rate, have a real chance."
Williams did not rule out participating in any further tournaments, with the caveat: "I don't know that I'm willing to travel that far at this stage in my career to go play."
Muchova, meanwhile, progresses to the second round at Flushing Meadows, where she will face either Sorana Cirstea or Solana Sierra.
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