Venus Williams can’t win at the WTA level anymore, unless the opponent totally chokes or subconsciously tanks. And nobody wants to see that. She should stick with doubles only or exhibitions – if anyone is willing to pay to see that – and just let the young players have her wildcards.
Today the 45 year old served as a practice partner for Alja Tomljanovic and lost 64 61. She is 0-4 in 2026 and hasn’t won a singles match since beating Peyton Stearns in Washington DC last summer and even that “win” looked curious.
It has to be mentally draining to play Venus. She has been built into a historical demi-goddess by the media. To dare to beat her is practically a crime. Opponents can’t play her freely. She’s a legend but no longer entertaining to watch because she can’t win and so why bother? If she still loves the game and competing, she should join a USTA league or go down to ITFs and stop requesting wildcards because the free ride is the only way she can get into marquee pro tournament main draws.
It would be a cool story if Venus tried to earn her way back to the big stage the hard way, by grinding out wins in low level ITFs but it’s probable she could not win there because players ranked 200-1000 are difficult too.
How much longer will Venus continue to milk the system you ask? Well, no one in the media outside of this platform will dare say Venus should quit – but they sure didn’t bite their tongues to try to push Novak Djokovic out of the sport even though he is ranked 3 in the world and still able to reach Grand Slam finals at age 38.
Venus Williams, as great as she once was and for all she has done for the game inspiring and marketing-wise, is no longer capable of winning singles matches.
If it’s worship and attention from the public she is still seeking, after three decades in the business, she will get all she wants for as many more years as she wishes. Because all of the tennis media serve her interests ahead of the sport.
Venus Williams is one of the great champions of our era and we were lucky to have her. But it’s time to allow hundreds of aspiring younger players to have their chances to become champions and make their own special impacts on the sport.
Dallas · Venus Williams