Venus Williams, 45, Bowed Out at DC Open After First Match Loss

Venus Williams' comeback to professional tennis concluded in the last 16 of the ATP/WTA DC Open, where the 45-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champion lost to Poland's Magdalena Frech in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Williams, playing her first tournament in 16 months following surgery for uterine fibroids, had made history earlier in the week by becoming the oldest woman to win a WTA match since Martina Navratilova in 2004. Despite her loss, Williams expressed satisfaction with her return and is set to compete next at the Cincinnati Open. Frech's victory was marked by consistent breaks of serve and effective shot variation, overpowering Williams despite the American's powerful groundstrokes and crowd support. Other notable events included Leylah Fernandez upsetting top seed Jessica Pegula, Emma Raducanu continuing her strong form, and top seeds like Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton advancing to the quarter-finals. Williams' return was seen as an impressive effort, yet highlighted the challenges of regaining competitive form after a long hiatus.