Venus Williams waves to the crowd after she lost to Magdalena Frech, of Poland, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Venus Williams’ return to tennis came to an abrupt end in the last 16 of the ATP/WTA DC Open on Thursday, with the veteran American losing to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in straight sets.
The 45-year-old seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, playing this week for the first time in 16 months, had become the oldest woman to win a WTA match in more than two decades with Tuesday’s first round win over Peyton Stearns.
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But Williams found the going harder against fifth seed Frech in Thursday’s third round clash, losing 6-2, 6-2 in 1hr 13min.
Williams said she was nonetheless satisfied with her return to competitive tennis.
“I had so much fun,” Williams said. “Not the result I wanted (but) I got to play a lot of matches, definitely a plus. I couldn’t be happier…
“I ran out of gas today unfortunately…Sorry to have fell short. But I know I can play better and I know I will play better,” added Williams, who is due to play in next month’s Cincinnati Open after being handed a wild card into the event.
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Frech will face third seed Elena Rybakina in Friday’s quarter-finals.
Frech seized the early initiative with a dominant first set performance, breaking Williams in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead.
The Pole duly held for a 4-2 lead and then broke again when Williams’ serve unraveled in the seventh game.
The American double-faulted twice in quick succession to hand Frech three break points, and she converted the first to go 5-2 up, before holding to close out the set.
Williams was soon in trouble in the second set, blasting a routine smash well beyond the baseline to give Frech two break points in the first game.
Jessica Pegula stunned
Jessica Pegula returns the ball against Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Frech pounced on that chance to grab the break for a 1-0 lead and then held for 2-0.
Williams held for 2-1 but was unable to threaten on Frech’s serve in the fourth game as the world number 24 took a 3-1 lead.
Frech’s shot variation continued to cause Williams problems in the next game and two wild long forehands from the veteran saw her surrender another break to go 4-1 down.
With the game slipping away, Williams loosened up and began to find her range to break back for 4-2.
The rally was fleeting as Frech broke again in the seventh for a 5-2 lead and then held to seal victory.
In other games on Thursday, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist, upset top seed Jessica Pegula 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 to move into a quarter-final meeting with Taylor Townsend on Friday.
READ: Wimbledon: Jessica Pegula suffers shock first round exit
Townsend took down sixth seed Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-0.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu continued her impressive run of recent form with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Japan’s Naomi Osaka and will face Greece’s Maria Sakkari on Friday.
In the men’s draw, fourth seed Ben Shelton moved into the quarter-finals after beating Canadian 15th seed Gabriel Diallo 6-3, 6-2. Shelton will face compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the last eight, the sixth seed defeating ninth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-4.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur is also into the quarter-finals after downing Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (6/8), 6-4.
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Top seed Taylor Fritz also sailed into the last eight with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Matteo Arnaldi.