"She looks so darn fit for 42, I am more and more inspired" - Tennis fans react to Venus Williams' first appearance in Washington ahead of Citi Open

Venus Williams is all set for her comeback to singles tennis as she arrived in Washington, D.C. this past weekend ahead of her 2022 Citi Open campaign, which begins on Monday. A perennial fan favorite, the 42-year-old made her first appearance at the venue on Saturday as a large crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the American legend.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion landed in the capital city on Friday and took to the practice courts for the first time on Saturday, much to the thrill of fans everywhere and not just those present at the venue. This is Williams' first singles tournament since late August 2021 when she played in the WTA Chicago Ladies' Open.

The great champion looked quite fit and raring to go ahead of her opening match on Monday, as one fan quite excitedly pointed out.

"She looks so darn fit for 42 I am more and more inspired," read a post on Twitter.

Venus Williams is set to play an intense schedule throughout August in a bid to have a few matches under her belt ahead of the US Open in New York. Soon after Washington, Williams will compete in the National Bank Open in Toronto and the Cincinnati Open, having received wildcards for both events.

Meanwhile, another fan expressed sheer delight to see the older Williams sister just back competing again on the WTA tour.

"Let’s enjoy Vee’s presence as long as she chooses to compete, and if we’re lucky, she’ll remain in the game far beyond her days on court," the fan wrote.

Meanwhile, some other observant fans dug a little deeper into the image and joked about the unread messages and emails on Williams' phone.

Here are a few more reactions to Venus Williams' first appearance in Washington as she prepares for the Citi Open:

After dropping out of the WTA rankings due to an extended period of absence from the tour, it will be important for the two-time US Open champion to climb up the rankings once again and avoid top-ranked opponents in the early rounds at the big events going forward. However, an on-song Venus Williams can always be a strong contender.

Venus Williams' draw revealed for the 2022 Citi Open

2020 US Open - Day 2

Venus Williams, who is unseeded at the tournament in Washington, D.C., will open her campaign against a qualifier on Monday. If she makes the Round of 16, Williams will square off against the winner of the match between eighth seed Clara Tauson and the unseeded Andrea Petkovic. She could then face top seed Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.

Third seed Simona Halep and sixth seed Kaia Kanepi are also in the same half of the draw as Williams and she could face one of those players if she makes it through to the semifinals. Second seed Emma Raducanu and fourth seed Victoria Azarenka are the strongest contenders in the other half of the draw.

Venus Williams recently made her tennis comeback in the mixed doubles event at Wimbledon, partnering with Jamie Murray. The pair won their opening match, but bowed out of the tournament in the second round in what was a thrilling encounter.