WASHINGTON — The passion for tennis never went away entirely for Venus Williams, who turned 45 on June 17. Despite time away from the sport, she has yet to officially retire.

Williams’ return to tennis got a significant push when she attended Wimbledon for a day.

“When I went to Wimbledon this year, I was there for a day, and it was so beautiful and exciting, and I remembered all the times that I had, and of course the adrenaline, all those things,” she said Sunday morning after a practice session at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. “I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge. When you play, you overcome so many challenges — your opponents, the conditions. A lot of times, you have to overcome yourself. Those things are very exciting.”

Williams will scratch that itch at this week’s Mubadala Citi DC Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion will open against Peyton Stearns, the No. 34 player in the world who — at 23 — is nearly half of Williams’ age.

The match against Stearns will be Williams’ first on the Women’s Tennis Association tour in 16 months. She last played in the Miami Open in March 2024 when she lost, 6-4, 6-4, to Diana Shnaider in the first round.

Williams acknowledged that her decision to accept an invitation from Mark Ein, who chairs the DC Open and whom she called “a friend,” was probably a surprise for fans.

“I feel like I have a joke with Mark every year. He’s like, ‘I have a wildcard for you.’ ‘Yeah, maybe I’ll come.’ Most of the time, I don’t,” she said with a laugh. “But this time, I had been hitting the ball. And, of course, I love the game and the hard courts. It’s my favorite surface, what I feel comfortable on.”

Asked why she would put herself through the ordeal of playing in the heat and humidity of a typical Mid-Atlantic summer, Williams quipped, “Why not?”

Tennis was a remote possibility for Williams a year ago. In an interview with NBC News earlier this month, she revealed that for almost 30 years, she had battled fibroids and adenomyosis that contributed to pain, vomiting and bleeding during her playing career.

Last July, Williams underwent an operation to remove the fibroids while preserving her uterus. Within a little more than a month, she said she felt like herself again.

“Yeah, my health journey was very scary,” she said Sunday. “This time a year ago, I was preparing to go to surgery. There was no way for me to play tennis or play the U.S. Open. Those things weren’t even on my mind. I was just trying to get healthy. I wanted to try to play sooner, but I couldn’t. So in any case, here I am. Things really change in a year.”

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Ever since Venus and younger sister Serena entered the tennis landscape, they revolutionized the sport through their dominance (30 majors singles titles between them), their fashion and their personalities. Their impact is one reason why younger competitors such as Washington native and world No. 48 Hailey Baptiste welcome the opportunity to witness Venus Williams take to the court once again.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Baptiste, who will play doubles with Williams at this tournament against the American-Canadian duo of Clervie Ngounoue and Eugenie Bouchard. “I’m super excited to see what she’s going to do. Obviously, it’s impressive to be able to be at this level at that age. I have a ton of respect for her — somebody I have looked up to my entire life. It’s exciting.”

Williams called being a role model for future generations of female tennis players “incredible.” But she argued that the next group of players must continue to push the envelope for those who follow them.

“I think that this generation can’t forget that women, we still have lots to fight for and an example to set,” she said. “It’s so important. Of course, I’m in love with tennis. So to have an opportunity to have this platform to promote the game even now is a great opportunity.”

Naturally, Williams’ return has sparked questions about whether Serena might play for the first time since a 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1 loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. On Friday, the younger Williams sister shared a video on social media of her smashing the tennis ball during her heyday.

Venus Williams pleaded ignorance.

“I don’t know what she’s going to do,” she said. “I don’t ask those questions. I think we always hit the ball because that’s who we are. … I keep saying to my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here.’ We always did everything together. So, of course, I miss her. But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let y’all know.”

Although this will mark only her second appearance at the DC Open, Williams recalled visiting the tournament when she was 13. She also noted that she gets a chance to spend time with her older sister, cousins and other family members who live in Washington.

“Definitely a love affair with D.C.,” she said.

Williams has sought life outside of tennis. She earned an associate’s degree in fashion design in 2007 and a bachelor’s in business administration in 2015. In May, she joined TNT Sports’ coverage of the French Open, joking that she was “glad I got out of it without being canceled.”

As for the future? Williams remains mum about her plans.

“I’m just here for now, and who knows?” she said. “Maybe there’s more. Like I said, I hold my cards close, but at the moment, I’m focused just on this. I haven’t played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously, coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I’ll play well. I’m still the same player. I’m a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

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