Remember two years ago when the tennis world erupted with the news: Venus Williams received a wildcard for a record-extending 24th US Open? That same day, she fell in Cincinnati, losing 11 straight games to Zheng Qinwen after a dominant start. Fast forward to the present day, at age 45, Venus is still ruling the court with timeless grace. Just this week, she stormed through both singles and doubles matches on home soil at the Citi Open. And as she charges into the next round after coming back to court after a long time, a bold claim is now swirling: tennis insiders believe Venus might just be gearing up for one final US Open statement.

In her first singles match in 16 months, former World No. 1 Venus Williams returned to winning ways on the Hologic WTA Tour, and at 45, the legend is smashing records along the way. In a powerful all-American clash under the DC lights, Venus dismantled World No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in just 1 hour and 37 minutes. With this win, the seven-time Grand Slam champion became the oldest player to claim a tour-level singles victory since Martina Navratilova’s triumph at Wimbledon in 2004, over two decades ago.

While the crowd in the capital roared in celebration, the echoes reached far beyond. A tennis insider has now made a bold claim about Venus’s US Open wildcard chances, and the conversation is only just heating up.

In a recent post on X, former US Open press officer Randy Walker sparked buzz by hinting that Venus Williams could be in the mix for a wildcard at this year’s US Open. “So @USOpen women’s wild cards could go down like this…” he wrote, listing potential picks that included Valerie Glozman, USTA Girls 18s winner, French and Aussie reciprocals, and USTA Pro Circuit spots. Then came the kicker: “6, 7 and 8 to… Katie Volynets (#108), Bernarda Pera (#114), Caty McNally (#134) or Venus Williams (3 of 4).”

In fact, it was through wild card that she returned to action at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open. Her last appearance at the tournament came back in 2022, and her last official match was at the Miami Open in March 2024. But now, the fire’s back. 

“There’s something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,” she told USA Today. On why she took the wildcard this time, she added, “Most of the time I don’t [take up the offer to play as a wild card]. But this time I had been hitting the ball. And of course, I love the game and the hard courts—it’s my favorite surface, what I feel comfortable on.”

Even recently, former US Open champion Andy Roddick also weighed in on Venus’s comeback during his latest Served podcast episode. “I have a feeling we’re trending towards that,” he said, when asked about her US Open chances. “I don’t know why you play Washington all of a sudden if you don’t have the intent to play the US Open.”

Roddick clarified that he didn’t have insider information, but the writing, as he put it, seems to be on the wall. “It would seem like DC will lend itself to another event.” That being said, the prospect of playing in the US Open may not be the only reason for her comeback.

Venus Williams reveals unexpected comeback motivation at Citi Open

Venus Williams’ latest triumph under the DC lights wasn’t just a win; it was a war cry from a legend refusing to fade. Facing fellow American and World No. 35 Peyton Stearns, Venus unleashed vintage brilliance to secure her first singles win since toppling then-World No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati, 2023. That makes her last two victories both against Top 35 players, nearly two years apart. But clearly, class never expires.

The 45-year-old dropped serve at love in the opening game, but that was merely a misfire before ignition. She immediately broke back, cranked up the pressure, and forced Stearns into unforced chaos. With her deep returns finding laser precision, Venus snatched the first set like a seasoned queen reclaiming her throne.

The second set turned bumpy. Stearns found her groove with a scorching 10-point streak to take a 3-1 lead. But Venus? She didn’t blink. She tore through the next four games with pure fire, flipping the scoreboard and the momentum.

Then came the real drama. At 5-3, Venus earned four match points, all denied by a gritty Stearns. At 5-4, Williams faced a break point of her own, but escaped. After a netted return from her opponent, Venus earned match point No. 6, and this time, the serve roared, and the match was hers.

Williams won 71% of her first-serve points and dominated Stearns’ second serve, winning 70% of those exchanges. But beyond the stats, it was her fight that stole the spotlight, and, as it turns out, one of her reasons for coming back was as Venus as it gets. And it’s hilarious.

“Insurance,” she told Rennae Stubbs post-match with a laugh. “I had to return for the insurance, this year they told me I’m on COBRA. So I was like, I need to get those benefits going! I got back to training. You all know how it is, and let me tell you, I’m always at the doctor, so I definitely need that insurance.”

Reflecting on the performance, she added, “I think there were times where I was just trigger-happy. Going crazy really fast, and I sort of convinced myself to play those points, be patient, slow down. I think it was a big win for me today. Like I said, it’s not easy. It won’t be easy. It’s not easy for anyone out here. So I know I’ll have to fight for every match, but I’m up for that.”

Next up: World No. 24 Magdalena Frech. Can Venus punch through to the last eight? The fight at 45: continues!