Washington Open: Venus Williams, 45, wins doubles match after 16-month absence

Seven-time Grand Slam victor Venus Williams has celebrated triumph successful the past 16 of the women's doubles astatine the Washington Open aft 16 months distant from tennis.

The 45-year-old erstwhile satellite fig one, who accepted a wildcard for the tournament, had not competed since the Miami Open successful March 2024 - and past won astatine the Cincinnati Open successful August 2023.

Williams and chap American Hailey Baptiste bushed Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1.

"It was inspiring to beryllium retired here," Williams told Sky Sports. "I emotion this crippled and inactive hitting it big."

She volition look different American, Peyton Stearns, successful the archetypal circular of the singles contention connected Tuesday.

Williams, who was playing doubles for the archetypal clip successful 3 years, joked she wished she could person partnered with 23-year-old Baptiste, the satellite fig 50, alternatively of her sister Serena - the 23-time large champion.

She said: "I deliberation from the archetypal constituent I could spot that we were going to beryllium a bully team. We conscionable should person started playing earlier, years ago, right? I deliberation Serena was conscionable successful the way."

Venus, who does not person a ranking, won 14 large titles alongside Serena successful the women's doubles, arsenic the Williams sisters dominated the athletics for galore years.

In the men's singles, Britain's Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie are done to the 2nd circular successful Washington.

Evans bushed Belgian Zizou Bergs 3-6 6-4 6-3 successful the archetypal circular and volition instrumentality connected American Alex Michelsen next.

Meanwhile, Norrie defeated British qualifier Billy Harris 6-3 7-6 (7-4) but faces a pugnacious trial successful the adjacent circular against French Open semi-finalist and 2nd effect Lorenzo Musetti of Italy.

Evans won the archetypal ATP 500 rubric of his vocation astatine the Washington Open two years ago, but helium opted not to support his rubric past twelvemonth arsenic helium focused connected the Olympic Games successful Paris.

The 35-year-old erstwhile British fig 1 was awarded a wildcard to vie and overcame a dilatory commencement against Bergs to triumph successful 3 sets.

Bergs, ranked 52 successful the world, edged up with a interruption successful the last acceptable but Evans secured his triumph by winning 4 successive games.

"I didn't conscionable privation to instrumentality the wildcard and lose," Evans told Sky Sports. "I felt I needed to wage them backmost a spot and effort to 'defend' my title, due to the fact that I couldn't past year."