Venus Williams' return to the US Open was short-lived, but not before she put up a valiant effort in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 loss to No. 11 Karolina Muchova in the first round on Monday night.

That Venus Williams lost her first Grand Slam match in two years — and what she says will be her last match of 2025 — didn't really matter Monday night. Certainly not to the thousands of supportive spectators in the Arthur Ashe Stadium seats who roared for her best shots and,

The seven-time Grand Slam champion only began her tennis comeback last month, when she played the Citi Open in Washington D.C on a wild card after a 16-month absence. She beat then-world No. 35 Peyton Stearns in straight sets in her first match back, and said ahead of this month’s Cincinnati Open that she didn’t rule out continuing next year.