Venus Williams announced her professional tennis comeback emphatically, reaching the women's doubles quarterfinals of the DC Open following an overwhelming 6-3, 6-1 victory with Hailey Baptiste.

The all-American duo defeated Clervie Ngounoue and retiring Eugenie Bouchard in round of 16, giving Williams her first victory on the WTA Tour since August 2023.

A Healthier and Freer Venus Williams

Venus Williams Returns to WTA Tour With Victory at Mubadala Venus Williams Returns to WTA Tour With Victory at Mubadala
Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

According to WTA Tennis, the 45-year-old tennis player earned a thunderous ovation from a full house and took her signature twirl after closing out the match, a moment that captured her triumphant return after over a year off from competitive tennis.

"It's just nice to be able to play. Where I am at this year is so much different where I was at last year. It's night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago," Williams said in a post-interview, per AP.

Williams told NBC earlier this month that she had surgery to remove uterine fibroids, a condition she said had impacted both her career and quality of life for years.

New Doubles Duo Finds Chemistry

It was Williams' first official match since a first-round singles loss to Diana Shnaider at the 2024 Miami Open. Her last doubles appearance dates back nearly three years. Despite the long break, she and Baptiste showed strong chemistry from the outset.

From the start, Williams said that she would do well with Baptiste. She joked that they should have started playing years ago to establish a more solid partnership.

The 23-year-old Baptiste grew up watching the Williams sisters. She was excited to be on the court alongside a legend. Their powerful baseline rallies and controlling play at the net were too much for their opponents to handle.

Wild Card Entry and Singles Comeback

Currently ranked outside in singles and doubles, Williams was given wild cards for both events at the DC Open. She defeated fellow American Peyton Stearns in the first round on Tuesday, July 22.