Overview

• Williams ended a 16-month absence following fibroid surgery by winning her opening match at the Mubadala Citi DC Open
• She defeated world No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 for her first WTA singles victory since March 2024
• At 45, she became the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since 2004
• Tournament officials awarded her a wildcard into the Cincinnati Open, whose main draw begins August 7
• Williams’s comeback underscores her resilience and extends her run in marquee hard-court events ahead of the US Open tune-up season