NEW YORK -- 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.

The elder Williams was off the tennis tour for 16 months until making a comeback at a tournament in Washington last month, where she won one match each in singles and doubles. She hadn't competed anywhere since the Miami Open in March 2024, and had surgery for uterine fibroids later last year.

Venus Williams made an inspiring return to tennis this summer after not competing much in the past two seasons. The 45-year-old tennis legend first returned at the Citi Open in July and won her first match in nearly two years. She then played in the Cincinnati Open and the U.S. Open, losing in the first rounds of both tournaments.