Venus Williams loses in three sets at the U.S. Open in her first Grand Slam match in two years

Even at age 45, even after two years away from Grand Slam tennis, Venus Williams displayed some big serves and powerful groundstrokes at the U.S. Open on Monday night in front of a supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, before losing 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to Karolina Muchova.

Williams was the oldest singles player at the hard-court tournament since Renee Richards in 1981.

She started slowly, ceding 11 of the initial 13 points and falling behind 2-0. With members of the crowd shouting, “Let’s go, Venus!” and roaring after her winners — and her fiance, Andrea Preti, leaping out of his seat — Williams took the next three games to go ahead 3-2, before Muchova grabbed the next four to claim that set.

But Williams broke to begin the second set on her way to tying the match.

In the third set, though, 2023 French Open runner-up Muchova, who is 29, was simply too good.