Venus Williams Wins WTA Match at 45 Returning for Health Insurance

Venus Williams made a remarkable comeback to the WTA Tour at age 45, winning her first singles match in nearly two years at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., becoming the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova in 2004. Williams revealed humorously that one of the main reasons for her return was to secure health insurance benefits after being told she was on COBRA, which allows individuals to maintain employer-sponsored health coverage at high personal cost. The seven-time Grand Slam champion had been inactive due to uterine fibroid surgery and had not played singles competitively since March 2024. Despite her hiatus, Williams demonstrated strong form with powerful serves and resilience, defeating younger opponent Peyton Stearns and also competing in doubles. Her candid comments highlighted the financial and healthcare challenges athletes face when stepping away from competition. Williams is set to continue competing, including participation in the upcoming U.S. Open Mixed Doubles event.