She just made history again!
At the DC Open on Tuesday, Venus Williams defeated 23-year-old Peyton Stearns in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4—marking her first singles win in nearly two years and making history in the process.
At 45 years old, the tennis legend became the oldest woman to win a WTA Tour singles match since 2004, when Martina Navratilova earned a win at 47, according to CNN. Venus now stands as the second-oldest woman in history to pull off such a feat.
“You know, it’s the first step, and the first match is always extremely difficult,” she told the WTA after the match. “It’s hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off.”
With seven Grand Slam singles titles, 14 doubles Grand Slam titles with her sister Serena, and two mixed doubles titles under her belt, she’s not just a champion, she’s a blueprint.
Congratulations, Venus!
Cover photo: Venus Williams Becomes Second Oldest Woman to Win WTA Singles Match / Photo Credit: Nick Wass / AP