Citi DC Open 2025: Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (WC) Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns

Date: July 22, 2025

Tournament: Mubadala Citi DC Open

Round: First Round (Round of 32)

Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, Washington, D.C., USA

Category: WTA 500

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $1,282,951

Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel, TC Plus | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+, DAZN

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Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns preview

Venus Williams at the Citi DC Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Seven-time Major champion Venus Williams will take on fellow American Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Citi DC Open 2025.

The Citi DC Open marks Williams' first tournament in 16 months. She played only two matches in 2024, losing in the first round of the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open. She was on an injury hiatus since then.

Williams already got a win under her belt at the Citi DC Open, albeit in doubles. She teamed up with Hailey Baptiste to beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.

The early hardcourt swing was disappointing for Stearns. A third-round showing at the Dubai Tennis Championships was her best result during this period. It was also the only time she won back-to-back matches. She hit her stride during the clay swing, making the fourth round of the Madrid Open and the semifinals of the Italian Open, her first at the WTA 1000 level.

However, Stearns couldn't sustain this momentum and crashed out in the first round of the French Open. Her time on grass was rather brief, with a second-round appearance at the Eastbourne Open followed by a first-round exit from Wimbledon.

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Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.

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Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Venus Williams	+1000	-1.5 (+350)	Over 17.5 (+105)
Peyton Stearns	-3000	+1.5 (-650)	Under 17.5 (-150)

(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)

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Venus Williams vs Peyton Stearns prediction

Peyton Stearns at Wimbledon 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Williams got a taste of victory in front of a packed crowd after scoring a comfortable win in doubles, her first match after being away for 16 months. She will be keen to repeat the feat in singles, though it won't be an easy task. She has a 7-30 record in singles this decade.

Williams served quite well and remained proactive from the baseline during her doubles win. However, at the age of 45, she's a step slower than she used to be. This could prove to be a major handicap against Stearns, who's nearly half her age.

Stearns recently lost to 37-year-old Laura Siegemund at Wimbledon, so she will still be a little cautious of the threat posed by a player of Williams' caliber, regardless of her age. Nevertheless, the latter's lack of match play and poor results over the past few years make her the underdog in this match-up.

Pick: Peyton Stearns to win in straight sets.