Venus Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to the tennis court last month after a hiatus of over a year. However, her comeback journey at the Cincinnati Open was cut short as she faced a straight-sets defeat against Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro with scores of 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

Match Recap

Williams, who has spent 11 weeks as the world No. 1, struggled with her service game despite the crowd's support. Bouzas Maneiro, ranked 51st, showcased her prowess and advanced to her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal last week in Montreal. "She's a legend," Bouzas Maneiro said. "This was a privilege. I tried to do my best on court and enjoy every moment."

Williams' Perspective

Despite the loss, Williams remained positive. "Coming off of this match, I feel amazing," she said. "So that means that in this next period [ahead of the US Open] I won't have to fix injuries. Now I can work on power and speed instead of trying to just make sure I'm not hurt going into the tournament."

Looking Ahead

Williams, who recently underwent uterine surgery, became the oldest woman to win a WTA match in over two decades last month at the DC Open. She is now gearing up for the US Open, where she received a wild-card entry to play mixed doubles with Reilly Opelka starting August 19.

Historical Context

Williams has a rich history at the Cincinnati Open, reaching the semifinals in 2012 and the quarterfinals in 2019. She has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Serena and two in mixed doubles.

Final Thoughts

"I had so much fun out there," Williams reflected. "There were moments where I had a lot of chances and there were moments where I was working through the kinks. But there was never a moment where I didn't go for it."