The US Open just wrapped up its fan week with the mixed doubles event, but the party is only getting started! Adding to the hype, Venus Williams is back for the singles event—for the 25th time! After finishing her mixed doubles run with Reilly Opelka, the two-time champion of this tournament now shifts focus. She’ll play her first singles match on August 24th! And fans simply can’t hold back their excitement.

After returning to the court at the Citi Open and the Cincinnati Open last month, the American legend is all set to take on New York. Venus shared her excitement on Instagram, “Grateful for every moment back at the @usopen! Thank you to my friend @reillyopelka 🎾💫.” 

Williams’ mixed doubles run with Reilly Opelka at the US Open didn’t quite take off, but it certainly gave fans plenty to cheer about. The two Americans dropped their opener to Andrey Rublev and Karolina Muchova, falling 4-2, 5-4. After an early break in Williams’ second service game, Rublev and Muchova never looked back, wrapping up the first set 4-2 with cool precision.

The second set, though, had New York buzzing. Both pairs held steady until 3-all, when Williams found herself in trouble again serving at 15-40. The crowd roared as she brushed off one break point with Opelka by her side, then blasted an ace to erase the second. They held firm for a 4-3 lead, and the stadium absolutely loved it.

But the spark from the Americans wasn’t enough to topple their opponents. Muchova, with an easy hold, pushed things into a deciding tiebreak. From there, Rublev and Muchova closed it out confidently, snagging the set in a 7-4 breaker. Despite the straight-sets loss, Opelka kept the mood light, later dropping a comment under Venus’ post that read, “🐐👑.” Fans couldn’t agree more.

Fans cheer on Venus Williams on her 25th US Open

Under her IG post, one fan was just thrilled to see the GOAT back on court, writing, “I was so happy to finally see you play 🙂↕️🫂🥹.” While Venus’ comeback hasn’t quite kicked off yet, the bigger picture matters—this is her first Grand Slam return after nearly two years away.

The 45-year-old already turned heads last month at the DC Open, where she took out Peyton Stearns in her opener to become the second-oldest player ever to win a tour-level singles match. She bowed out in the next round against Magdalena Frech, but her comeback is clearly age-defying—and the crowd is soaking in every moment.

Another fan couldn’t help but celebrate her legacy while dreaming of more. They wrote, “Loving it! Let’s get Serena and you back for more doubles titles! ❤️❤️❤️❤️🎾🎾🎾.” And honestly, that’s a valid wish. Venus and Serena Williams have won 22 doubles titles together, including 14 Grand Slams. They never lost a Grand Slam doubles final. Add three Olympic gold medals in doubles, and you’ve got one of the most successful pairings ever.

But earlier on Thursday, Serena ended the speculation. Speaking on the Today show, she shared that she won’t be coming back to the sport anytime soon. She admitted she does miss the court, saying, “I have so many wonderful memories, you know? I’ve had so many great times, and yeah, I can always take solace in that.”

On the other hand, while Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka didn’t win their match together, her presence still stunned fans. One wrote, “You looked amazing, some of those FHs against Rublev 🔥💪🏼.” The pair fought hard, winning six games out of 15 and pushing the second set into a tiebreaker. Venus seemed happy to be back, and one fan summed it up perfectly: “Play as long as you can as if you don’t you may regret it reflecting back later in life.”

Venus hasn’t had an easy ride with her health. She’s battled injuries, plus Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes severe fatigue, muscle soreness, and joint pain. She also revealed struggling with fibroids, which brought painful symptoms like nausea and heavy periods.

During an interview with TODAY, Williams said, “It just got too bad, and I couldn’t handle it. (I started) taking something a lot stronger that was prescription, which is not ideal because it’s hard to train on that or be in your right mind. I’m sharing now because I was outraged that I didn’t know this was possible. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.” She underwent surgery in July 2024, and now looks ready to fight again.

As one fan put it, “Super happy to see u back ! Will wait for ur single match 💪🏻🔥.” And that’s coming up fast—Venus Williams will face Karolína Muchová in her opening match on August 24. Will this former champion bring back her electrifying energy and make another deep run? Share your thoughts in the comments below!