Venus Williams is ending her tennis career much as she began it — by inspiring others.

Ms. Williams, 45, faces Karolina Muchova, ranked No. 12 in the world, on Sunday in the first round of the women’s singles competition of the 2025 U.S. Open.

Ms. Williams becomes the oldest singles player in 44 years to compete in the main draw, entering as a wild-card participant. Her appearance at the USTA Billy Jean King Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows continues a comeback after a 16-month hiatus that ended in July.

Last month, she  won her opening-round match at the D.C. Open to become the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova won at Wimbledon at age 47 in 2004.

Ms. Williams went on to lose in the second round, but her performance and legacy earned her an invitation to make a record-breaking 25^th appearance at the U.S. Open. 

Adding Ms. Williams to the field of competitors was a no-brainer. Her seven Grand Slam singles titles, including the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Opens and five Wimbledon crowns, have made her a living legend in the sport and a major spectator draw.

Her well-documented journey to greatness includes growing up in the tough neighborhoods of Compton, California, and learning to play tennis from her father Richard Williams.

At age 14, Ms. Williams turned professional. By then she was 6 feet tall with a 112-mph serve. She defeated World No.1 Arantxa Sanchez Vicaro in the second round of her pro debut and, soon after, Venus and her younger sister Serena were the talk of the tennis world.

Serena would become the more decorated of the two, but it was Venus who won their historic showdown for the 2001 U.S. Open women’s title and began paving the way for others to  chase their dreams despite social and economic obstacles.

In addition to her seven Grand Slam singles titles, her trophy case includes four Olympic gold medals and14 Grand Slam doubles titles shared with Serena.

But her impact has never been limited solely to the tennis court. Not only has she helped make women’s tennis more inclusive and inspired countless young players of color to believe they can succeed, but she has also been a strong advocate for equal prize money. She was instrumental in pushing Wimbledon and the French Open to offer women prize money equal to what men earn.

Her strong voice in those efforts was recognized by Barbie manufacturer Mattel Inc., which recently honored her as part of its “Inspiring Women” series with a new Barbie Venus Williams doll.

“Throughout my career, I’ve worked hard to break down barriers and create opportunities for those who come after me,” Ms. Williams said.

She is also an advocate for health awareness after having been diagnosed with what was initially called inoperable fibroids and large focal adenomyoma in her uterus.

After suffering from severe anemia and excessive bleeding that impacted her tennis career, she sought a second and third opinion and eventually underwent surgery last year. Her successful recovery is evidenced by her return to competition at an age when most professional athletes have retired.

“I told my story so other women don’t have to go through this and so they can get better sooner,” she said of her medical journey.

Ms. Williams lost her opening round of mixed doubles at the U.S. Open last week, but all of New York will be rooting for her Sunday during a singles match in which she is a massive underdog against Ms. Muchova, a 29-year-old Czech who reached the semifinals the last two years.

Ms. Muchova is part of a new generation of stars that includes Naomi Osaka, who say they were inspired by the Williams sisters.

Venus Williams is being called “The Comeback Queen” in some circles, but it’s really a continuation of a life that has demonstrated that resilience, work ethic and passion can overcome even the biggest challenges.