Even at age 45, even after two years away from grand slam tennis, Venus Williams displayed some big serves and powerful groundstrokes at the US Open on Monday night in front of a supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium,

The elder Williams was off the tennis tour for 16 months until making a comeback at a tournament in Washington last month, where she won one match each in singles and doubles. She hadn't competed anywhere since the Miami Open in March 2024, and had surgery for uterine fibroids later last year.

Venus Williams has celebrated twice holding the trophy aloft on Arthur Ashe. But the most recent of those was in 2001. Now aged 45, she will play in the first round of the US Open, against Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova.