'i Love My Job' - Williams Relishing Us Open Return

Two-time champion Venus Williams says nan emotion for her "job" is why she is backmost playing astatine nan US Open astatine nan property of 45.

At nan commencement of this year, galore wondered erstwhile nan seasoned American would denote her retirement.

Now she is group to grace her location Grand Slam tourney for a record-extending 25th clip erstwhile she plays Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova connected Monday.

"It is ace thrilling to beryllium back. It does not get aged - it conscionable gets much exciting," said nan seven-time awesome winner.

Earlier this season, Williams became officially considered an inactive player, having gone a full twelvemonth without competing.

Then, retired of obscurity arsenic nan eyes of nan tennis world were trained connected Wimbledon, she announced she was fresh to play astatine nan Washington Open.

The erstwhile world number 1 won her first-round lucifer connected her first quality successful 16 months, earlier going retired successful information two.

The triumph complete chap American Peyton Stearns meant Williams became nan oldest subordinate to triumph a WTA Tour singles lucifer successful much than 21 years.

Asked to picture nan joyousness of being backmost playing, she said: "I emotion my job. So there's nan joyousness correct there."

Williams, classed 580th successful nan world, is group to go nan oldest US Open singles subordinate successful 44 years aft being fixed a wildcard for Flushing Meadows.

It will beryllium her first quality astatine 1 of nan 4 fields since nan 2023 US Open, wherever she mislaid successful nan first round.

Some reason giving a spot successful nan 128-player tie to a seasoned pinch 1 triumph successful much than 2 years blocks nan improvement of a younger player.

Others will opportunity an all-time awesome should ever beryllium offered nan chance to move out.

It could beryllium her last quality astatine a tourney wherever she is revered by nan New York crowd.

Sister Serena bowed retired of master tennis astatine nan 2022 US Open, reaching nan 3rd information pinch a short tally that captured nan imagination of nan sporting world.

Typically, Venus Williams gave small distant successful her pre-tournament news convention astir what nan early whitethorn hold.

"I deliberation I'll ever play tennis. It's successful my DNA. So it doesn't matter if it's now aliases 30 years from now," she said.

"Tennis will ever beryllium 1 of nan astir important parts of my life."