Firstly of this yr, many questioned when Venus Williams would announce her retirement.
Now she is about to grace her residence Grand Slam match for a record-extending twenty fifth time.
Earlier this season, Williams turned thought of an inactive participant, having gone a complete yr with out competing.
Then, out of nowhere because the eyes of the tennis world have been skilled on Wimbledon, she introduced she was able to play in Washington.
It begged two apparent questions. Why? And why now?
Williams put the timing of her return right down to her love for the sport and her love of the onerous courts.
That shone by means of when she arrived within the US capital.
Williams had usually been curt and closed when talking to the media, however spoke warmly and brazenly in her first pre-tournament information convention.
Hitting “massive” – the model of tennis with which she emerged as a celebrity within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s – was nonetheless her plan.
Williams proved she nonetheless had that capacity as she swept apart Stearns.
Whereas she misplaced within the subsequent spherical to fifth seed Magdalena Frech, and was additionally overwhelmed by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro within the Cincinnati first spherical, they have been aggressive sufficient to earn her a US Open wildcard.
Some will argue giving a spot within the 128-player draw to a veteran with one victory in additional than two years blocks the event of a youthful participant.
Others will say an all-time nice ought to at all times be supplied the possibility to play.
Might or not it’s the right place to retire and have a glitzy farewell like her youthful sister Serena did in 2022?
We do not know that but – however you would not rule it out.
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