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Venus Williams wants to keep winning

42 years and an iron mentality that remains unchanged. You have to have a lot of guts and a lot love for tennis to compete professionally again almost a year later, after being away from the tracks for a long time and seeing how multiple generations reach the elite of the sport and print a new rhythm of the game. Venus Williams refuses to throw in the towel: the American returned to the slopes in the individual field thanks to her debut in the WTA Washington 2022, a tournament in which he feels at home. Wrapped up and overwhelmed by the support of the local crowd, Venus showed traces of the dominator she once was, taking the first set but finally giving in to a competitive Rebecca Marino (4-6, 6-1, 6-4).

For a moment it seemed that time had not passed, with the oldest of the Williams sisters dominating every inch of the baseline and showing a amazing mobility for an athlete her age. Tennis and claw are not lost, of course, and Venus wanted to compete until the end, but she ended up giving in as the duel dragged on and she got physical. Nothing to reproach: applause from the public, recognition from all those who saw it from their homes and the motivation intact for upcoming events. And yes, I’m not lying to you: the Press conference of Williams is that of someone who is not satisfied with playing again, but who wants to win backto celebrate, to send a message to the world that there is still a lot of rope left.

Sensations on the court in his first match in almost a year

“It was a lot of fun coming to Washington and playing in front of this crowd. It was nice to see how the crowd cheered me on. I hadn’t played a singles match all year, so it’s a good experience. Being my first match, I don’t think I played well in many parts of the match. I’m still a bit rusty, although I was able to build some leads in the third set, which is positive. I’m trying to shake off the inactivity, which is expected by all. The only thing I can do is play a new tournament and improve”.

Next calendar and motivations

“I’m not going to play doubles or mixed doubles between now and the US Open. I’m just going to play singles. I’m not just thinking about having fun, having a good time. I do what I do. I don’t think I’m just doing this for the fun aspect of it. himself. It’s just wonderful to play tennis, I think all of us in this room love the sport.”

Train with Serena again and play in Washington

“I think it was a huge boost for the crowd to see us training together. Normally we don’t usually do it during a tournament. More than anything, I think it was exciting for the tournament. I wish I could have taken today’s game just because of the spirit of the crowd and for what the tournament means, but things don’t always go your way. The reaction has been great. Washington is a great place to play tennis and the tournament does a fantastic job.”

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