Venus Williams returned to the US Open at age 45 for the first Grand Slam appearance in two years. She plays Karolina Muchova in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday after a 16-month gap since her last official match and less than a year after surgery for uterine fibroids. Much public attention centers on her age, but peers call the comeback inspiring and emphasize her broader significance to the sport. Venus and Serena Williams reshaped tennis and sports culture, transcending scores and advocating causes such as equal prize money at Wimbledon. Teammates and rivals praise their athletic excellence and iconic status.
It's a given that much of the coverage and attention devoted to Venus Williams' return to the US Open, where play begins Sunday, has focused -- and will focus -- on how old she is. The American is, after all, 45, an age at which no one has competed in singles in New York since 1981 (when Renée Richards set the record at 47 years old).
Venus Williams is at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in 2 years "It's just really, I would say, inspiring," said Naomi Osaka, 27, a four-time Grand Slam champion. "My only thing is: I don't really like how every headline mentions her age. ... We all know how old she is. But it's kind of more the broader [significance] -- how much of a legend she is in this sport."
They transcended the mere scores and stats and win-and-loss ledgers, and made it all about far more than that, including Venus' famous stand in favor of equal prize money for women at Wimbledon. "She's one of the best athletes of all time," two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe said. "Her and her sister, they're not only great for the women's game, not only great for women's sports, but they are so iconic."
Collection
[
|
...
]