All eyes were on Venus Williams as she made a comeback to the tennis court at the age of 45. She took a hiatus from the US Open after losing the opener to Aryna Sabalenka in 2023. But her return to compete at the 2025 US Open was nothing short of a miracle. The news of her return to the court came as the least expected news. However, she lost the opener once again. This time, it was against Karolina Muchova, who secured a win with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. Yet, Williams’ younger sister, Serena Williams, did not shy away from giving Venus her flowers. 

It’s worth noting that Serena Williams did not participate in the 2025 US Open. Additionally, she was also absent from the stands as her older sister made a strong case against the Czech tennis star. But that didn’t stop the ‘Queen of the Court’ from sending a heartfelt message. Taking to Instagram Stories, the 43-year-old wrote, “❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 I am immensely proud of you [Venus Williams] 🤍🤍.”

Of course, it wasn’t just her sister who stood in support of Venus Williams. Despite the loss, Williams was the one that the entire crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium cheered for. This made the commentators at the court exclaim, “I didn’t think she was going to play this year, so what do I know? We know nothing except that these fans are very appreciative.”

And that’s not all! The International Tennis Hall of Famer and Serena Williams’ former rival, Maria Sharapova, sat in the stands and cheered for Williams. But her eyes definitely searched for her sister in the stands. After all, the 45-year-old did reveal her wishful thinking about playing with her sister, not too long ago. And that was paired with Serena’s message asking her not to quit. 

This first round match up against Muchova was Venus Williams’ 1100th match of her career. The last win at Flushing Meadows came six years ago. Despite the recent losses, Flushing Meadows still holds a prominent place in Williams’ heart regardless of the trajectory of her tennis career. But will that motivate younger sister Serena Williams to be back on the court again? Well, not really. 

Serena Williams weighs in on returning to the tennis world

During her appearance on The Today Show, the host asked Serena Williams if she ever got tired of hearing people wonder about her comeback, as the US Open Mixed Doubles entertained the world. She replied, “I don’t know if I get tired of it. I don’t really hear the noise or listen to it.” So, what does she do? “I kind of mute out everything. I’ve gotten really good at muting out the noise. But you know what, it’s a sport that I’ve always loved.”

But does she miss being an irreplaceable part of the tennis world? Williams confessed, “I do. I think there’s a part of me that will always miss tennis, because it was something you do for your entire life. From the day you remember, you always had a goal. Then one day you wake up, and that’s not your goal anymore, and it’s a huge change. I’ve had so many great times, and yeah, I can always take solace in that.”

Serena Williams has certainly evolved away from the world of tennis. But for now, with her sister trying to make a return to the court, she has to stay supportive. Even if that support comes through an IG Story instead of cheers from the stands. Well, who knows… Given the kind of experience Venus Williams has gathered, we might get to see her win another Slam. But that is a story for another time…

For now, follow EssentiallySports’ live blog for the US Open for more exciting news from Flushing Meadows.