The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion had not played a WTA Tour match since March of 2024 and had not won one since 2023.

Williams could not overcome 27-year-old Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the tournament on Thursday, July 24. Williams has not won back-to-back matches since 2019. Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste won their first-round match in doubles play on Monday, but the duo fell short of reaching the third round.

Williams hits some of her familiar big serves and groundstrokes while beating Peyton Stearns, 23, to become the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova did it at