Venus Williams, 45, Makes History as Oldest WTA Singles Winner in Over Two Decades

Venus Williams has beaten world No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. At 45, she is the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she beat Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004, the WTA confirms.

It was her first singles match in 16 months and her first win since she beat Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati in August 2023. It took her six match points to close it out after an hour and 37 minutes, finishing with a booming serve. Next up is Poland's Magdalena Frech.

"There are no limits for excellence. It's all about what's in your head and how much you're able to put into it. If you put in the work mentally, physically, and emotionally, then you can have the result."

"It doesn't matter how many times you fall down. Doesn't matter how many times you get sick or get hurt or whatever it is. If you continue to believe and put in the work, there is an opportunity, there is space for you."

That line about getting sick carries weight. Williams was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, in 2011 and changed her diet on her doctor's advice. She started out raw vegan, then added cooked foods. "That way of eating was just hard to maintain for long periods of time," she told Insider, as Yahoo reported, adding rice, potatoes and lentils after workouts. She has eaten a mostly plant-based diet for nearly 15 years and says it helps her manage her symptoms, Plant Based News reports. She launched her own plant protein brand, Happy Viking.

Williams has form for turning back the clock. Two years ago she beat a top-20 seed in Cincinnati at 43. In May, plant-based Novak Djokovic beat Hubert Hurkacz in Geneva for his 100th title.

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