'Can someone move a tournament here?': Venus Williams teases fans about her future

Is Venus Williams' career finally coming to an end? The seven-time Grand Slam champion isn't ready to hang up her racket just yet. In her return to the courts over the past month, she's shown she still has the tennis to compete at the highest level. She was defeated in the first round of the US Open but competed at a high level for a good part of the match.

The 45-year-old player competed in thre torunamentes this summer: DC Open, Cincinnati and US Open, in a total of four matches in the North American hardcourt swing. Williams maked her return to the courts after 15 months at the DC Open. She earned one victory against the world No. 35, Peyton Stearns, in Washington and ended her summer campaign this Monday with a first-round loss at the US Open to the world No. 11, Karolina Muchova, in three sets.

Venus Williams's first professional appearances were in 1994, a time when her recent opponent, Karolina Muchova, hadn't even been born. Williams's long career now spans 32 consecutive seasons with at least one professional appearance.

Despite her recent loss to Muchova with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, Williams is not ready to retire. She put up a strong fight in Arthur Ashe Stadium and is still motivated to play. However, she has acknowledged that she is no longer willing to make the same sacrifices she once did, especially when it comes to traveling around the world. It remains to be seen if she will continue to play in 2025.

“I love playing. Are there any tournaments in the States? Can someone move a tournament here?," the 2-time US Open champion said in her press conference. "I don't know that I'm willing to travel that far at this stage in my career to go play. I don't play in high altitude either, so I won't be going to Guadalajara.”

During Venus Williams's recent appearances on the court, the stadiums have been packed with fans eager to see the legendary American tennis player up close once again. The former world No. 1 was pleased with the support she received from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was filled with fans for her match against Muchova.

"I don't think I've ever had a crowd that much on my side,” added the world No. 602. "When I lost those first two games, they were just still right there with me every point. Didn't matter if I was losing and it was starting to roll fast, they were just right there with me, and it felt great.I knew going into this match that people in this stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me, and that felt great.”

A hard-fought victory for Muchova

The match between Venus Williams and Karolina Muchova was more tense than many expected. Williams, a former world No. 1 who received a wild card, was highly competitive against the Czech star, a two-time US Open semifinalist.

Williams' serve was strong, with a 57% first-serve percentage and a 72% win rate on those points. She broke Muchova three times but was broken five times herself. Muchova is a formidable opponent, having reached the final of the 2023 French Open and two WTA 1000 tournaments. She was also in the top 10 just a year ago.

Currently ranked world No. 13, Muchova didn't have an easy time against the 45-year-old American legend and had to fight to the third set to secure the victory. The match, which lasted more than two hours, saw a dip in Williams' level during the third set, which Muchova capitalized on. The Czech player closed out the win with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to advance to the second round of the tournament, marking her 11th victory in her last 13 appearances at Flushing Meadows.

Match Statistics Williams vs. Muchova