July 11 (UPI) — Venus Williams will return to the tennis court for the first time in more than a year at the 2025 DC Open, tournament organizers announced Friday.
“See you soon, DC,” Williams wrote on her Instagram story.
The WTA 500 tournament will be held from July 21 to 27 in Washington. The seven-time Grand Slam winner last played in the first round of the 2024 Miami Open. She lost that match in straight sets to Russian Diana Shnaider on March 19, 2024.
Williams, who received a wildcard entry, last competed in the DC Open in 2022.
Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Paula Badosa, Amanda Anisimova and Emma Navarro are among the other top women’s players in the preliminary main draw field for the 2025 DC Open.
Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Daniil Mevedev and Lorenzo Musetti are among the top men’s players in the field.
Badosa is the defending women’s singles champion. Sebastian Korda won the men’s title in 2024.
Williams, 45, is not in the WTA Tour singles rankings. The former world No. 1 ranked No. 270 at the end of last season. She announced last month that she also plans to compete in the Charlotte Invitational. The exhibition matches will be held Dec. 4 at Spectrum Center. Madison Keys, Tiafoe and Fritz also are set to compete in the matches.