"I figured I’d at least keep my figure" - Venus Williams makes playful admission as she addresses her tennis comeback at 45 ahead of Cincinnati Open

Venus Williams made headlines across the tennis world last month when she made a winning return to the court at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Now, as she gears up for the Cincinnati Open, the American recently shed light on her comeback.

Williams is undoubtedly one of the best players tennis has ever seen, but the American took a 16 month long hiatus from the sport starting in 2023 as she dealt with health issues. In July earlier this year, she stunned fans when she announced that she was returning to action and would be competing in the City DC Open.

Now, ahead of the Cincinnati Open, Venus Williams spoke about her return to tournaments, joking,

“It’s obviously no secret that you get great legs and great arms from playing tennis. So, I figured I’d at least keep my figure if that’s the very least we do!”

She went on to emphasise that she felt ‘great’, saying,

“I feel great. If there’s the one thing I know, it’s that you’re never too young or too old to win or to lose. Winning and losing knows no age.”

Upon her return to action in Washington, Williams claimed a win over compatriot Payton Stearns in her opening round match, before going down to Magdalena Frech in her next encounter. On the doubles end of things, the 45-year-old made it to the quarterfinals alongside Hailey Baptiste.

Venus Williams reflects on her motivation to return to tennis

Williams at the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 (Image Source: Getty)

After her successful return to action at the City DC Open, Venus Williams will now be competing at the Cincinnati Open, a Masters 1000 event. Speaking about her motivation to continue competing, the American said at a press conference,

“For me, I think a lot of the motivation over the years has just been to come back in the best health that I can. I never stopped hitting the ball, even when I was away—not as intensely as you would if you were replaying playing tournaments, but still going out there. When I was on the court, I was always working on my game. I didn’t just let it all fall apart. Even if it was just a half hour, I still wanted to get something out of it.”

Venus Williams will begin her campaign in Cincinnati against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. The Spaniard is currently ranked 51st in the world, and fans will be eager to see if Williams can get the better of the youngster.