At 45, Venus rolls back the years in comeback match

MUMBAI: Those sizzling serves were back. So was the fiery competitiveness. And, of course, that signature wave-and-twirl sign-off. That's because Venus Williams was back. Playing, at times, like she hadn't left.

- Rutvick Mehta

She had, though, for a long time. So long that the WTA website, which had listed her playing status as “inactive”, doesn’t list a ranking for the former world No.1. Activated and unranked, Williams turned up for her first singles match in 16 months and walked off having beaten a player ranked 35. At age 45.

She can still fill up seats, as the packed main court for her Tuesday evening match at the WTA 500 Citi Open in Washington showed. She can still serve big, as her nine aces and 71% first serve points won showed. She can still be good enough to beat an opponent nearly half her age, as her 6-3, 6-4 victory over 23-year-old Peyton Stearns showed. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has won 818 WTA singles matches in a career that began at 14, yet this one at 45 was special.