Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month's DC Open, which would be the seven-time Grand Slam champion's first tournament in more than a year.
Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as “inactive” on the WTA Tour's website.
She hasn't competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024.
“There’s something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,” Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. "This city has always shown me so much love, and I can’t wait to compete there again.”
Williams also played in the nation's capital in 2022.
“She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,” said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. "I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.”
In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn’t.
Williams' most recent Grand Slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon — after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee — and the U.S. Open.
Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 U.S. Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals.
The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain.
FILE - Venus Williams of the US in action in the women's singles final against her sister Serena on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Saturday, July 5 , 2008. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)
FILE - Venus Williams holds the trophy after defeating her sister Serena to win the Women's Singles Championship on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Saturday, July 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase broke out of a touchdown drought that lasted over two months by scoring twice on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Chase hauled in his first touchdown since Oct. 16 late in the second quarter of the Bengals' 37-14 win. He added another TD in the third.
He finished with seven receptions for 60 yards. Chase also became the first player to record at least 80 receptions, 1000 yards and seven touchdown receptions in his each of first five years in the NFL.
“I really wasn’t aware of (Chase’s touchdown drought) until Tee (Higgins) pointed it out in the last game, during the game,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “We’re just going to go out there and call it the way we see it. The play he scored on is a play we’ve run 100 times. (Chase) did a great job making people miss and getting in the end zone, and then the other one before the half was a really good play design ... so that one worked out well.”
Chase's scoreless stretch included a game that he missed due to suspension after he spat on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Chase said he was itching to get into the end zone. He said that as he walked into the stadium on Sunday, he told himself he was going to make sure that he scored.
When he reached the end zone for the first time, he celebrated with an emphatic spike of the ball.
“I didn’t even know what celebration I wanted to do,” Chase said. “That’s how I know I haven’t been in there in a minute.”
The first touchdown was all effort and athleticism. Chase caught a bubble screen near the left sideline and there were multiple defenders in his way. With a juke, a spin move and a sprint, Chase reached the end zone.
“I think everything is just instincts in that moment,” he said.
On his second touchdown, the Bengals’ play design got him matched up against a cornerback who has spent a lot of the year on the Cardinals’ practice squad. Chase quickly created separation against Darren Hall and scored on a slant from 8 yards out.
For the second straight week, the Bengals’ offense seemingly couldn’t be stopped.
“That’s what we expected from the beginning of the season,” Chase said. “It didn’t go our way, but we know what we’re capable of, especially with the opportunities we put ourselves in. We just have to execute.”
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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor celebrates with wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) after a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) looks to get past Arizona Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, right, scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase runs towards fans after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
