The 2025 US Open singles marked the return of Venus Williams following a year’s hiatus in 2024. But unfortunately, the comeback didn’t have the outcome she expected. Karolina Muchova eliminated Williams in the first round of the US Open with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. The disappointment with the outcome was fairly visible in the audience, and Williams even got emotional during her post-match interviews. But the cheers for the 45-year-old didn’t die down. And now, there’s a new ray of hope for Williams in her US Open journey. 

You read that right! The official US Open 2025 Women’s Doubles draw is out, and Williams got a wild card entry into the competition. Venus Williams is going to pair up with the Canadian star, Leylah Annie Fernandez, and compete against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez’s team. But the match is going to be interesting for another reason. 

While Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are unseeded in the doubles game, their opponents are ranked at the 6th spot. This means that their match is going to be tough. And that’s why the match is going to be interesting. The 45-year-old star has won 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles with Serena Williams by her side.

On the other hand, Fernandez is comparatively new to the world of doubles.  While she doesn’t have the accolades like those of Williams, she did partner up with Taylor Townsend and finished runner-up at the doubles event of the 2023 Miami Open. And with Venus Williams’ experience backing her up, she must have begun dreaming of lifting the trophy at the US Open, don’t you think?

Let’s get honest. We all wish to witness Venus Williams dominate the courts once again. That much was evident from the standing ovation she received at the US Open, even though she lost her battle against Muchova. But during the post-match press conference, she couldn’t hold her tears back. 

What does Venus Williams think of her performance at the 2025 US Open Singles?

At the presser, the American star confessed that she was pretty excited to make the comeback. She and her team took no days off and just trained day in and day out for the last three months. But in the end, all she faced was defeat. Of course, the cheers from the crowd helped her win the second round by towering over Muchova. But the 13th seed was able to snap out of it in the final round. 

And when the mediapersons asked her if there was anything that she proved to herself, Williams got a bit emotional. She answered, “Oh, what did I prove to myself? I think for me, getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthily. And 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.”

Nevertheless, she declared that she was proud of her performance at the US Open. After all, her greatest success was the never-ending cheer from the New York City crowd. Venus Williams continued, “I didn’t win today, but I’m very proud of how I played. I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that much on my side … every point. It didn’t matter if I was losing… they were just right there with me. I knew going into this match that people in the stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me. And that felt great. It felt great to have that kind of support.”

So, what do you think of Williams’ return to the tennis world? Do you think she can win against the tough competition in the doubles bracket? And don’t forget to head to our EssentiallySports Live Blog.