Venus Williams showed appreciation for her recent performances and expressed optimism as she prepares for the Cincinnati Open following her second-round loss at the Washington WTA 500 event. The 45-year-old, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, fell to fifth-seed Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-2 but remains upbeat about her progress.

Williams made headlines earlier in the week by defeating fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4, becoming the second-oldest woman to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova in 2004. Speaking after her loss, she said, “I’m so grateful. I feel like I ran out of gas today, unfortunately. I tried to find the energy, and I didn’t find it. But, you know, four matches in the first week is a lot. You know, I love playing doubles.”

During the Washington event, Williams also competed in the doubles with Hailey Baptiste. The pair won their opening match against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue before falling to Zhang Shuai and Taylor Townsend in the second round. Reflecting on her physical condition, Williams commented, “I never got out of shape, so you’d have to talk to someone who let themself go. That’s not my thing. I stayed in shape. Even if I wasn’t playing tennis, I was always in the gym.” She added, “Physically, I feel pretty much the same, like I don’t have major injuries that are like killing me or anything like that… It’s a blessing, knock on wood.”

Williams has received a wildcard entry into the Cincinnati Open, where she aims to improve on her previous best result of reaching the semifinals in 2012. Commenting on the opportunity, she said, “Yeah, the fans there are epic too. It’s going to be amazing. There’s so many learnings to take from here. I know exactly what I need to work on, where I can improve. The good news is I’m always in control of the point. The important part is to put the ball in.” She acknowledged her desire to maintain control in her matches, stating, “Was I in control? Absolutely. Will I be in control of most of my matches? Most likely, yes. That’s the place I want to be, so I’m putting myself in that position. That’s what counts.”

The Cincinnati Open is scheduled to take place from August 7 to 18 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Holger Rune has strengthened his team by hiring Marco Panichi, a fitness coach with a distinguished track record working alongside Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. Panichi served as Djokovic’s fitness trainer from 2017 until April 2024 and subsequently joined Sinner’s team in September 2024. However, Sinner parted ways with Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio just before Wimbledon 2025, where Sinner won his fourth Grand Slam title.

Aneke Rune, Holger’s mother and manager, confirmed Panichi’s addition to Holger’s squad, underscoring the trainer’s comprehensive expertise. “He brings enormous experience – not just in the physical aspect, but everything related to building a Grand Slam winner. That takes the idea up another notch,” she said. Aneke highlighted the longstanding positive relationship between Panichi and Holger, describing Panichi as “a huge capacity to have in the team.”

Panichi’s approach, shaped during his time with Djokovic, involves active participation in training sessions, which aligns with Rune’s team philosophy. According to reports, Panichi will begin working with Rune at the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati starting August 7.

Separately, Sinner commented on his decision to move on from Panichi and Badio, stating, “No, nothing major happened. Nothing big happened. I parted ways not long ago, but it’s not affecting me. We’ve reached incredible results in the past with them, so obviously huge thanks to them. We made some great job, but I decided to do something different.”

In addition to this staffing update, Rune recently disclosed seeking advice from tennis legend Andre Agassi. Speaking in Washington ahead of the ATP 500 tournament, Rune remarked, “He’s an amazing man, first of all, and he’s very wise, as well. He sees the game in a unique way that I’ve never experienced before.”

Rune noted the timing was intentional, citing a return to form after a period of coaching changes: “When you’re changing coaches a lot, you don’t play as well because you’re not following one opinion or a single structure. I thought this was the right time to get some extra input. It’s not anything magic, but he obviously had some very wise words I can use.”