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Venus Williams Wins In Washington Doubles Opener After 16-month Layoff
American Alex Michelsen: Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams emerged victorious in her first professional tennis match in 16 months, joining Hailey Baptiste to defeat fellow doubles wild cards Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue in the DC Open first round.
It was a sharp turnaround. Down 3-1 and facing a break point, Venus and Baptiste rallied to win 11 of the last 12 games. This is Venus' second appearance at the D.C. event, following a first-round loss in 2022.
The 45-year-old former world number one, who accepted a wildcard for the tournament, had not competed since the Miami Open in March 2024 - and last won at the Cincinnati Open in August 2023.
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