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Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams is set to return to action at the WTA 250 Libema Open. She has been drawn to face 17-year-old Celine Naef in the opening round.
Having been on the sidelines nursing an injury, Williams accepted a wildcard entry into the tournament's main draw. She began her 2023 season in New Zealand at the ASB Classic where she defeated Katie Volynets before losing to Zhu Lin.
The 42-year-old sustained a hamstring injury during the defeat to Zhu Lin, which eventually forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open and every other tournament since.
Journalist Ben Rothenberg took to social media to confirm Williams' clash with teenager Celine Naef.
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"This is fun: 42-year-old Venus Williams will face 17-year-old Celine Naef in her return to competition next week on the grass of WTA 250 ‘s-Hertogenbosch," he tweeted.
Naef was first seen in action during ITF events in 2021. She made the main draw of two W25 events and one W60, without making an impact in any. She fared much better the following year, winning three titles. She has been competing in the ITF circuits this season too and was last in action in the 2023 French Open qualifiers, where she lost in the opening round to Elizabeth Mandlik.
Williams, who made her WTA debut at the Bank of the West Classic in October 1994, will take on the up-and-coming Naef in what will be their first career meeting at 's-Hertogenbosch.
The 42-year-old road to the title at the Libema Open won't be an easy one, with the likes of former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Bianca Andreescu also participating in the tournament.
Serena and Venus Williams enter become golf team owners in newly launched league
Venus Williams and Serena Williams, alongside Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, have become team owners in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's newly founded golf league, the TGL.
The Williams sisters, who have had illustrious careers in tennis, have now turned their eyes to golf.
The TGL, a golf league planned by TMRW Sports, is a collaboration between sports executive Mike McCarley and professional golfers Woods and McIlroy. They launched the league in association with the PGA Tour, with the inaugural season slated to commence in January 2024.
The Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC), the league's first team, will come under the shared ownership of the Williams sisters and Ohanian.
TGL CEO McCarley shared his enthusiasm about the development in a press release, stating:
"We’re honored to welcome Alexis, Serena, and Venus as one of TGL’s original six team ownership groups.”
The league has also attracted commitment from PGA Tour stars including Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Max Homa.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"
