45-year-old Venus Williams becomes the oldest woman since Martina Navratilova to win a singles match

WASHINGTON (AP) — Venus Williams wanted to send a message — to herself and to others — about coming back from a long layoff, about competing in a sport at age 45, about never giving up. Yes, there was something special about just being back on a tennis court Tuesday night.

There also was this: She really, really wanted to win.

And Williams did just that, becoming the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in professional tennis, delivering some of her familiar big serves and groundstrokes at age 45 while beating Peyton Stearns — 22 years her junior — by a 6-3, 6-4 score at the DC Open.

“Each week that I was training, I was, like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t know if I’m good enough yet.’ And then there would be weeks where I would leap forward. And there would be two weeks where I was, like, ‘Oh, God, it’s not happening.’ Even the week leading up, (I thought), ‘Oh, my gosh, I need to improve so much more.’ So it’s all a head game,” Williams said after her first singles match in more than a year and first singles victory in nearly two.

The only older woman to win a tour-level singles match was Martina Navratilova, whose last triumph came at 47 in 2004.

The former No. 1-ranked Williams had not played singles in an official match since March 2024 in Miami, missing time while having surgery to remove uterine fibroids. She hadn't won in singles since August 2023 in Cincinnati. Until this week, she was listed by the WTA Tour as “inactive.”

“I’m just constantly praying for good health, so that way I could have an opportunity to play with good health,” Williams said. “A lot of this for me is being able to come back and try to play at a level (and) to play healthy.”

Backed by a crowd that clearly was there to see, and support, her at the hard-court tournament in the nation's capital, Williams showed glimpses of the talent she possesses and the skills she displayed while earning all of her Grand Slam titles: seven in singles, 14 in women’s doubles — all alongside younger sister Serena — and two in mixed doubles.

“I wanted to play a good match,” Williams told the fans, then added a phrase that drew appreciative roars: “and win the match.”

In Tuesday's second game, Williams smacked a return winner to get things started, then delivered a couple of other big responses to break Stearns, a 23-year-old who won singles and team NCAA titles at the University of Texas and is currently ranked 35th.

In the next game, Williams sprinted forward to reach a drop shot and replied with a forehand winner.

The first chorus of cheers arrived when Williams walked out into the main stadium at the DC Open, a 7,000-seat arena that's more than twice as large as where she was for her doubles victory a day earlier. Another came when she strode from the sideline to the center of the court for the coin toss. The noise reached a crescendo when Williams began hitting aces — at 110 mph and faster — the way she used to.

Keep in mind: Williams won four Grand Slam trophies before Stearns was born.

“She played some ball tonight,” Stearns said. “She was moving really well, which I wasn’t expecting too much, honestly. Her serves were just on fire.”

There also were moments where Williams — whose fiance was in the stands — looked as if it had been just as long as it actually has since she competed, including in the opening game, when she got broken at love this way: forehand wide, forehand into the net, forehand long, backhand long.

At the end, it took Williams a bit of extra effort to close things out. She kept holding match points and kept failing to convert them. But eventually, on her sixth chance, Williams powered in a 112 mph serve that Stearns returned into the net. That was it: Williams smiled wide as can be, raised a fist and jogged to the net to shake hands, then performed her customary post-win pirouette-and-wave.

“It's not easy. It won’t be easy. It’s not easy for anyone out here,” said Williams, who next faces No. 5 seed Magdalena Frech, who's 27. “So I know I’ll have to fight for every match. But I’m up for that.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Venus Williams celebrates her win over Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Peyton Stearns returns the ball against Venus Williams during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams walks on the court before a match against Peyton Stearns at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, serves to Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, returns the ball to Emma Raducanu, of Britain, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, returns the ball to Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Peyton Stearns reacts during a match against Venus Williams at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams waves to the crowd as she celebrates her win over Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams celebrates her win over Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Peyton Stearns returns the ball against Venus Williams during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams walks on the court before a match against Peyton Stearns at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams returns the ball against Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, serves to Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, returns the ball to Emma Raducanu, of Britain, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, returns the ball to Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

HANOI, Vietnam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--

FPT, through its global IT services subsidiary FPT Software, has achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the first global standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management Systems. With this milestone, FPT became the first company in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia to earn this recognition, underscoring its commitment to responsible AI development and deployment with consideration for fairness and impartiality, privacy and security, safety, quality and robustness, governance, transparency and explainability.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112494011/en/

The certification was issued by the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company SGS and qualified by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) - a leading U.S. accreditation body with global recognition. ISO/IEC 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management systems, allowing organizations to effectively manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with compliance.

Achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 reflects FPT’s capability in AI governance, encompassing ethics, risk management, transparency, compliance, and ensuring alignment with both business goals and societal values. It also strengthens FPT’s position as a trusted technology partner for global organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, healthcare, energy, and the public sector. The milestone further solidifies FPT’s position as an AI-first company, strengthening its foundation for scaling AI responsibly while helping clients navigate evolving regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges associated with AI adoption.

“As an AI-first company, we pledge to prioritize safety, ethics and accountability at every stage of our AI lifecycle. By continuously governing AI development and implementation processes, we provide our clients and partners with the assurance that our solutions are built with responsibility, transparency and adhere to international excellence,” said Dao Duy Cuong, FPT Software EVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, FPT Corporation.

FPT actively promotes responsible AI development as a founding member of the AI Alliance led by IBM and Meta, and the Vietnam Ethical AI Committee. The company is committed to embedding rigorous AI governance across its global operations and solution portfolio, including its flagship AI platform FleziPT, which boosts productivity by 30%, accelerates development by 60% and reduces 50% in rework. The company also maintains co-creation partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Microsoft, SAP, and NVIDIA to deliver tailored solutions for industry-specific challenges. Supporting these efforts is a workforce of over 25,000 AI-augmented, globally certified engineers, and world-class infrastructure including cutting-edge AI Factories in Vietnam and Japan, which have been ranked among the world’s Top 40 fastest supercomputers. Expanding its AI footprint, FPT is developing a new Research Center in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, which is expected to become a critical component of its global AI development network, supporting high-quality talent cultivation for both the local community and the nation.

About FPT

FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, operating in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam’s position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2024, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.47 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com.

FPT received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification during the certification award ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam