Venus Williams’ return to the WTA Tour at the Cincinnati Open marks her second event after a 16-month hiatus. Despite extensive media attention focused on her age, 45, Williams insists that age has never dictated her performance or goals. “I feel great,” she said before the tournament began. “You’re never too young or too old to win or to lose. Winning and losing knows no age.”

Williams’ career began at age 14, a memory she fondly recalls alongside a Rolling Stones concert playing nearby. “They didn’t know I was playing next door,” she said. “So, Mick Jagger, my message to you is that I was playing my first professional match next to you.”

Her absence from the tour has been due to health challenges, not age. In 2024, she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids and quietly fell off the rankings. Yet her commitment to tennis remained steady during her recovery. “I felt like I had time just to get well,” Williams explained. “When I was on the court, I was always working on my game. Even if it was just a half hour, I still wanted to get something out of it.”

Her recent return at the Mubadala Citi DC Open saw Williams secure her first singles win since 2023, defeating Peyton Stearns in straight sets. She became the oldest woman to win a match on tour since Martina Navratilova two decades ago and also advanced in doubles with Hailey Baptiste. She credits love as the sustaining force behind her comeback. “Love is the key, right? If you don’t love it, then get out of it if you can, if you have that luxury,” she said.

Williams’ philosophy centers on living life on her own terms, unapologetically and without regrets. “Your terms should be yours. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks. I do what I do because I want to live life the way I want to, unapologetically, with no regrets, on my terms,” she shared. “Do my terms always come out the way I want them to? No. But at least I tried to live on my own terms, and that’s super important to me.”

Looking ahead, Williams plans to compete through the US Open, remaining noncommittal about extending her return beyond 2025. “I’m very much in the moment. I don’t think you should ever rule me out. That’s all I can say.”

The draws for the 2025 Cincinnati Open have been released, showcasing defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka as the top seeds in the men’s and women’s singles events. Sinner, 23, who claimed his first Cincinnati title in 2024 and went on to win the US Open that year, currently holds three Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2025. After a first-round bye, Sinner will open his campaign against either Vit Kopriva or a qualifier/lucky loser. His section of the draw includes notable opponents such as Gabriel Diallo (No. 30 seed) and Tommy Paul (No. 13 seed), with potential matches against Lorenzo Musetti (No. 6 seed) in the quarterfinals and Taylor Fritz (No. 4 seed) in the semifinals.

In the opposite half of the men’s draw is the No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Roland Garros champion who lost his Wimbledon title to Sinner last month. Alcaraz seeks his first Cincinnati title and will face either Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur in his opening round. His projected path to the final includes Tallon Griekspoor (No. 26), Jakub Mensik (No. 16), Alex de Minaur (No. 6), and Alexander Zverev (No. 3). American Ben Shelton, seeded fifth, is also in the bottom half, facing either Camilo Ugo Carabelli or Kei Nishikori in round one.

On the women’s side, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will start her title defense against either Marketa Vondrousova or Jaqueline Cristian. A possible third-round rematch with Emma Raducanu (No. 30 seed) looms, followed by potential matches against Madison Keys (No. 6 seed) and Iga Swiatek (No. 3 seed) in the semifinals. Sabalenka defeated Swiatek in the 2024 Cincinnati semifinals.

No. 2 seed Coco Gauff aims to regain form after an early loss in Montreal. She’ll face either Wang Xinyu or Emilia Arango and could meet Dayana Yastremska (No. 32 seed) in the third round. Additionally, former world No. 1 Venus Williams received a wild card entry. The 45-year-old, returning after a 16-month break, won her opening match last month and will face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round.

The men’s singles draw for the 2025 Cincinnati Open is officially announced, highlighting the return of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have not competed since their Wimbledon final showdown last month. Both skipped the Canadian Open, making Cincinnati a crucial event in their seasons.

Reigning champion Jannik Sinner, currently world No. 1, enjoys the top seed and benefits from a first-round bye. His second-round opener is against either a qualifier or Vit Kopriva. Projected matches include facing 30th seed Gabriel Diallo in round three, followed by a potential fourth-round clash with 13th seed Tommy Paul, who has been managing injuries since Roland Garros.

If Sinner advances, a quarter-final meeting with Lorenzo Musetti, seed No. 8 and another player confronting recent form struggles, could occur. Musetti’s path involves potentially meeting 25th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 11th seed Casper Ruud, both experiencing difficulties this season.

Top half competitor Taylor Fritz, seeded fourth and world No. 4, could meet Sinner in the semis. Fritz’s route includes a possible second-round match versus 2022 champion Borna Coric and third-round against 31st seed Lorenzo Sonego. Challengers like 15th seed Flavio Cobolli, 17th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and João Fonseca present possible hurdles before facing 10th seed Frances Tiafoe or seventh seed Holger Rune in the quarters.

On the bottom half, second seed and world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz aims for his inaugural Cincinnati title. His campaign starts against Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur, with a potential third-round clash against 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor. A fourth-round test could come from Miami Open champ Jakub Mensik (16th seed), leading to a quarter-final showing against sixth seed Alex de Minaur, who has recovered form with strong recent performances.

A semifinal against third seed Alexander Zverev is a possibility for Alcaraz. Zverev, Cincinnati champion in 2021, opens against Gael Monfils or wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy. He may meet 27th seed Brandon Nakashima in the round of 32 and 14th seed Karen Khachanov in the fourth round in a potential replay of the Canadian Open semi-final.

Fifth seed Ben Shelton stands as a projected quarter-final opponent for Zverev, facing a challenging path including potential matches against 32nd seed Cameron Norrie and a fourth-round clash involving 12th seed Daniil Medvedev or 22nd seed Jiri Lehecka.

The draw promises a mix of returning champions, in-form contenders, and players battling injuries or form dips, setting the stage for an intriguing Cincinnati Open.