“In My DNA”: Unmodified Venus Williams at 45 | Venus Williams

vEnus Williams will promote her record in court Monday night, which extends the 25th U.S. public singles appearance, Here we go to the meme again Literally, it comes to life, like Arthur Ashe Stadium itself, enduring a part of the symbol of Fluce meadow. Withdrew from her last Grand Slam and ranked 610th in the world, she will face Karolína Muchová, the 11th seed in the Czech Republic and the 2023 French Open Runner-up, who have reached the New York semifinals twice.

If the scale of the mission in front of her is strong, so is the symbol of her presence. Williams is the oldest singles rival in the U.S. National Championships since Renée Richards 44 years ago. She made her debut here at the age of 17 in 1997 – same year Ashe completed and replaced Armstrong Being the main stadium of the tournament – Becoming the first seedless player in the open era to reach the finals and then losing to Martina Hingis. Twenty-eight years later, she returns in history, but her taste for combat has not diminished.

She is the winner of seven Grand Slam singles champions – five of Wimbledon, openly in the United States Her sister. She has won world No. 1 in singles and doubles, won four Olympic gold medals and brought about $43 million in prize money, with countless coming from endorsements and external efforts. Given her ridiculous longevity and pan-cultural resonance, calling her one of the five most famous active sports cross-country races on the planet is not a hyperbolic. There is nothing to prove It came sometime in the George W Bush era.

However, after a 16-month hiatus, she is here again, including uterine fibroid surgery and long-term suspicion. she Return in July At the Washington Open, she attracted the following: NBA star Kevin Durant And defeated Peyton Stearns of World 35. It flashes with old fire, reminding her that her classic first hit game – big serve, flat drive, full-game aggressive – still has teeth.

Off the court, making a comeback coincides with a new chapter in his personal life. Williams confirmed last month that she was engaged to Italian actor Andrea Preti to encourage her to praise him through her efforts in training and recovery. “My fiancé is here and he really encourages me to keep playing,” she said. Since Martina Navratilova in 2004. “There are a lot of times I just wanted to go along the coast and chill. … He encouraged me to get through it and was very happy to be here.”

The couple hasn’t been private until recently, but their public appearances – from boating on the Amalfi Coast to Milan Fashion Week earlier this year – add a different focus to Williams’ return. For players who once cleverly asked questions about solving problems, it marks a change in tone.

For much of the past two years, many people have thought Venus had kept quiet on the tour. Serena’s high-profile farewell in Popular Times in 2022, followed by the exits of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova, seems to be a bookend for an era. But Venus, despite last month’s fun She will only go back to tennis There has never been such a narrative for health insurance. “I think I’ll keep playing tennis,” she said on Saturday. “It’s in my DNA. So it’s been 30 years now or from now on…Tennis is always one of the most important parts of my life.”

Even by the standards of the greatest Methuselahs of the sport – think Jaromir Jagr, Bernard Hopkins, Tom Brady, Williams. None of the 609 players in the rankings reached their 40s, let alone 45. When Williams made his debut at West Bask of West Classial in 1994, only a small percentage was alive, when Pulp Fiction dominated the U.S. charts in theaters and Boyz II Men.

This sense of permanence helps explain why she continues. “I didn’t expect what people would take away from it,” she said. “I was just thinking about what I would get from it.”

She has more than that. Since her sister walked through the doors of a white lily movement with her sister, Williams has taken on the double burden of racism and gender discrimination with firm grace. She led the Wimbledon and Roland Garros campaign. She inspired a generation of black American players, including Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Taylor Townsend and Hailey Baptiste.

Her appearance this week is also in line with Althea Gibson’s 75th anniversary debut at the U.S. National Championships, another reminder of her extended lineage. “Althea has achieved a lot, and a lot of them aren’t getting the credibility they deserve,” Williams said. “The most important part is shining it and acknowledging that.”

Her peers have quickly emphasized her greater importance over the past few days. “She is one of the best athletes ever,” said Frances Tiafoe. “She and her sister, they are not only very helpful for women’s competitions, not only are they very suitable for women’s sports, but they are so iconic.” Naomi Osaka added: “I don’t really like how each title mentions her age…more meaning, she is a legendary number.”

It’s easy to romanticize her return, but profit margins are ruthless. Since the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals in 2017, she has reestablished her own top ten in the WTA during her 38-year-old season, with her activities and results gradually fading. She hasn’t won the U.S. Open since 2019. The wildcard invitation into the main draw, including a game that brought her here, inevitably sparked debate over whether they should go to the younger players. Her opponent Muchová has her diversity and shooting wisdom, and is exactly the kind of player who punishes rusty. Frankly, victory will qualify as a major frustration.

Williams is realistic about those bets, but her humor is still sharp As her fashion sense. “It was too hard to play, it disappeared,” she said when asked to evaluate her current form. “So, I’m going to try to reduce the hits of my efforts. But the good news is that I’m happy to control these points. It’s a great play style for me.”

One of the most determined defenders of the wildcards Usta decided to award Williams one of the staunch defenders is retired American star Andy Roddick, who took on the task after Friday’s draw.

“I don’t care if she’s out and hasn’t won a game, we should be grateful for having Venus Williams in our game,” 2003 U.S. Open Championship Says on his podcast. “[The critics say] They took it from those who deserve it. If you deserve it, you don’t need wildcards. In short, you have your own ranking.

“It’s not a right, it’s a gift. You’re telling me as a tennis tournament, Venus Williams Shouldn’t it be a gift for the US Open? Shut up and leave here. She has always been our gift, and that’s not the other way around. ”

As PlayStation– What Williams says is the goal to win professional goals, not the pleasure of process, self-confidence and competition. “I want to be my best, and that’s what I expect from myself,” she said. “I don’t have the performance of other players, so it’s a different challenge. I just want to make the fun, stay relaxed and be my personal best.”

These emotions echoed her speech last month: “There is no limit to excellence. It all has to do with your mind and how much you can put in. If you put your work mentally, physically and emotionally, you can get results, then how many times you can run into it. How many times you fall, you’ll get stuck or keep working.

Whether it was her farewell to the red grassland or just another chapter of her long farewell, Williams had no interest in scripting. She won’t drag it in a sleek magazine, nor will she invite anyone else to explain it to her. When time comes, she might be like Another New York idol: May I disappear.

Currently, she has at least another night on Ashe, with another chance to swing freely under the lights of the biggest stage of her sports. “It’s not getting old. It’s getting even more exciting.”