Some fans have reacted strongly to the announcement that Venus Williams will return to the 2026 French Open (Roland Garros) after a five-year absence. The tennis legend last competed on the clay courts of Paris in 2021. According to reports from People and The Associated Press, Williams, 45, is set to partner with rising star Hailey Baptiste in a doubles match at the prestigious tournament. She will not participate in the women’s singles draw.
While many celebrated the news, others were critical and even called for the seven-time Grand Slam champion to call it quits.
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“She needs to hang the racket and retire from the sport,” wrote one user. Another netizen argued that Williams was “stealing” wildcard opportunities from up-and-coming players by continuing to compete.
“She’s stealing wildcards from the young generation, there’s no joy in this. If only she would perform well, but I don’t remember the last time she passed the 1st round. She’s too proud to lower herself to smaller tournaments where she would actually have a chance to win some.”
Here’s why Venus Williams is at the top of her game.
The hateration is just pure noise. Williams has more than earned her right to continue her career and compete on her own terms. In our view, she will keep stepping onto the court for as long as she chooses.
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Williams last appeared at the French Open in 2021, having previously won doubles titles in 1999 and 2010 with her sister, Serena Williams. In singles, she reached the final in 2002, falling to Serena in a historic matchup.
Her return to Roland Garros comes after a milestone appearance at the Australian Open earlier in the year, where she became the oldest woman to compete in the main draw in January. Although she fell in the first round to Olga Danilovic, Williams reflected positively on the experience afterward, showing grace in defeat and support for the next generation by congratulating Danilovic on her performance.
“It was such a great game, such a great moment. The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much,” Williams said about the match against Danilovic to the press. “She played a great game. Also, some luck there, as well. That’s just the sport. That’s how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment.”
Before this, Williams scored a major win on the court in 2025 at the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open in July, after accepting a wildcard entry into the WTA 500 hardcourt event held July 21 to July 27. She won her first-round singles match at the tournament on July 22, 2025, defeating Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4. That victory marked her first singles win since 2023 and made her the oldest player to win a WTA Tour-level singles match since 2004.
Her latest return to competition comes after a significant health struggle with uterine fibroids.
Her recent comeback also follows a serious health battle tied to uterine fibroids, which she ultimately had surgically removed in 2024. Speaking with NYU Langone Health, Williams shared that the condition affected her for nearly 30 years, causing severe symptoms including intense cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea, and anemia.
At one point, the condition became so severe that she collapsed in a Wimbledon locker room in 2016, prompting her sister to seek immediate medical help.
“I was in so much pain, my sister took matters into her own hands and brought in a doctor to help me get off the floor,” she recalled. “But that was a turning point for me, when things started to get really bad.”
Since receiving proper treatment, Williams has said she feels significantly better, with more energy and relief from the pain and iron deficiency that had long impacted her career and daily life.
With her health in tip-top shape and her passion for the game brighter than ever, nothing can stop Venus Williams and we can’t wait to see where she goes next. When asked if she would ever retire by Irish News in 2024, Williams said she was “not done with the racket yet.”
She added, “It’s about picking and choosing places I want to be.”
Congrats to Venus Williams on her French Open return.
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