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500 Mubadala Citi DC Open WTA

Venus Williams to Return to Competitive Tennis at 2025 Citi DC Open, Hints at Serena’s Possible Comeback

After a 16-month break due to a knee injury, Venus Williams is set to resume her professional tennis career at the 2025 Citi DC Open, driven by her enduring passion for the sport. She also suggested that her sister, Serena Williams, might consider returning to the court in the future.

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Venus Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam champion, is preparing to return to professional tennis after more than a year away from the tour. At 45 years old, Williams will make her comeback at the 2025 Citi DC Open, her first tournament since competing at the Miami Open in 2024 where she lost in straight sets to Diana Shnaider. Remarkably, Venus has not won a singles match in a year, her last victory coming at the Cincinnati Masters in 2023.

The American had paused her 2023 season post-US Open to allow a knee injury to heal without intervention, prolonging her absence into 2024. When asked about her decision to return, Venus responded simply, “Why not?” She elaborated on her motivation, emphasizing her continued love for tennis and her preference for hard courts. “This time I had been hitting the ball. And of course I love the game, and the hard courts, it’s my favourite surface, what I feel comfortable on. So, all those different factors,” she said.

Venus reflected on the impact tennis has had beyond her personal aspirations: “As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion. I loved the game so much, I didn’t realize that it would be so much bigger than myself.”

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During the French Open, Williams lent her insights to TNT Sports as a commentator, describing the challenges of live analysis and noting, “I was, like, ‘Just be careful. Don’t say the wrong thing. Don’t be too opinionated,’ because I have a lot of opinions, and many of them possibly unfounded. So, I’m glad I got out of it without being cancelled!”

Attention also shifted to Serena Williams, Venus’s younger sister and 23-time Grand Slam champion, who retired in 2022. Serena was recently seen practicing, sparking speculation about a possible return. Venus joked about Serena’s skill, saying, “She can take six months off and she clocks it clean. You can’t teach that kind of talent. She’s just so good. I don’t know what she’s going to do. I don’t ask those questions.”

Venus concluded by highlighting the importance of family and support systems through the highs and lows of a career: “You know, I believe in love and those around me, so my family, my friends. They keep me going and keep me grounded. Those are the people that are there for you when the things are lowest. They’re there for you also when the things are highest… So, the love always gets you through.”

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500 ATP Mubadala Citi DC Open

Key Matches and Players in Focus at Washington D.C., Montreal, and Toronto Tournaments

Washington D.C. finals approach as Montreal and Toronto tournaments begin with notable players competing.

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This past Saturday saw three trophies awarded in ATP and WTA tour events, while in Washington D.C. the thrilling conclusion of the combined 500-level tournament awaits. Meanwhile, the main draws of the prestigious tournaments in Montreal and Toronto have commenced, bringing some of the sport’s notable talents into the spotlight.

At the WTA event in Washington, Anastasia Kalinskaya emerges as a strong contender, undefeated in eight sets so far, including a semifinal victory over Emma Raducanu. Her final opponent Leylah Fernandez showcased resilience by overcoming top seed Jessica Pegula 7-5 in the third set in the quarterfinals and later defeating third seed Elena Rybakina after being a set down and trailing 5-3. Fernandez’s prior encounter with Kalinskaya, four years ago in Guadalajara, resulted in a win for Fernandez, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

On the ATP side in Washington, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continues his impressive run, backing up his recent upset over top seed Taylor Fritz with a straight-sets win against Ben Shelton. Davidovich Fokina aims to capture his first tour-level title after previously falling short in three finals this year. His opponent, Alex de Minaur, is on the verge of claiming his 10th career title and currently leads ATP players with 20 hard-court victories in 2025.

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The Montreal event features an engaging lineup including rising star Diane Mboko, who is set to face Kimberly Birrell. The evening session highlights a match between former major champions Bianca Andreescu and Barbora Krejcikova. Local favorites Marina Stakusic and Rebecca Marino will compete on Centre Court alongside 20-year-old Alexandra Eala, who matches up against fellow left-hander Marketa Vondrousova.

In Toronto, the Masters 1000 tournament has begun with a mix of established and emerging players. Frenchmen Gael Monfils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are scheduled for day matches, complemented by Americans Reilly Opelka and Learner Tien. The night session on Center Court will feature wild card Vasek Pospisil in his 44th event appearance and Thiago Seyboth Wild Fonseca, who is participating in his sixth Masters 1000 event. The Brazilian player is coming off a third round showing at Wimbledon.

Rain interrupted semifinal matches on Saturday, leaving only one game completed between Harold Mayot and Stefanos Sakellaridis. Play will resume with Mayot leading 1-0, before the final between Lukas Klein and Switzerland’s Jakub Paul is contested.

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250 ATP Mubadala Citi DC Open

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Advances to Mubadala Citi DC Open Final with Victory Over Ben Shelton

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina powered past Ben Shelton to reach the Mubadala Citi DC Open final.

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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continued his impressive run at the Mubadala Citi DC Open by defeating Ben Shelton 6-2, 7-5 to secure a spot in the tournament final. The Spaniard, seeded 12th, showcased resilience and aggressive play throughout the match.

Earlier in the tournament, Davidovich Fokina ended the campaigns of Americans Learner Tien and Taylor Fritz. After his late-night victory over Fritz at 2 a.m., he displayed no sign of fatigue against Shelton on the courts at Rock Creek Park.

Davidovich Fokina capitalized on early first-serve issues from Shelton, combining heavy groundstrokes with strategic net approaches to claim the first set in 28 minutes. In the second set, despite twice saving break points, Shelton’s errors—including a double fault and a poorly executed forehand drop shot—allowed the Spaniard to gain a crucial break at 4-3. However, Shelton quickly recovered as Davidovich Fokina faltered with his forehand, returning the break.

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With the home crowd rallying behind him, Shelton held serve confidently, pushing the match toward a potential deciding set. At 5-5 and 15-15, Shelton missed an overhead, followed by a backhand error, giving Davidovich Fokina two break points. The Spaniard seized the opportunity, hitting a forehand winner at the net to break and then served out the match without faltering.

This win improved Davidovich Fokina’s 2025 record to 32-17, including five victories against top 10 players. He reached his first ATP final of the year in Delray Beach and also finished runner-up in Acapulco shortly after.

On Sunday, Davidovich Fokina will face seventh seed Alex de Minaur in pursuit of his maiden ATP title. De Minaur advanced to the final by defeating lucky loser Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-3.

The final promises a compelling contest between two in-form players seeking to lift their first trophy of the season.

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250 Mubadala Citi DC Open WTA

Anna Kalinskaya and Leylah Fernandez Set for Mubadala Citi DC Open Final

Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya advance to the Mubadala Citi DC Open final, both seeking titles.

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At the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya will compete for the title in Sunday’s women’s final. Fernandez, the 22-year-old Canadian and 2021 US Open finalist, advanced after a grueling three-set victory against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, winning 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3) in three hours and sixteen minutes. Fernandez’s performance included 12 aces and marked her second top-20 win of the week. Earlier in the tournament, she defeated the top seed, Jessica Pegula.

Kalinskaya, the 26-year-old Russian ranked 48th, efficiently reached the final by defeating Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-3 in less than half the time of Fernandez’s semifinal. Kalinskaya’s precision was highlighted by 14 backhand winners in the match. Raducanu notably had beaten Fernandez at the 2021 US Open.

Both players come into the final unseeded. Kalinskaya is seeking the first title of her career in her third tour-level final, having lost her two previous championship matches last year. Fernandez, with three career titles to her name, will be competing in her seventh final overall as she aims for her first title of the season.

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Sunday’s match promises to be a compelling contest between two determined players eager to capture a significant WTA title on the hard courts of Washington.

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