When Venus Williams made her long-awaited comeback at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington DC, Coco Gauff showed her support in an unconventional way. Rather than stick to her usual habits, Gauff decided to make dinner for the first time in a while, highlighting the significance of this moment for her.
The 21-year-old, known more for her skills on the tennis court than in the kitchen, revealed her excitement over Williams’ return was strong enough to inspire this unusual gesture. Gauff also shared how eager she was to watch Venus after Williams’ opponent, Ben Shelton.
I never cook, but I made dinner that night… dinner and everything because I was so excited to watch her play,
Gauff told PEOPLE.
That was the first match I’ve been excited to watch in a while. My boyfriend was with me, and I was just like, oh my gosh, I can’t wait. She was after Ben Shelton, and I was like, Ben needs to wrap this up. I can’t wait to see Venus.
Accompanying Gauff during this special evening was her boyfriend, Atlanta-based musician Jalen Sera, confirmed publicly earlier this year. The couple, together for two years, shared the enthusiasm of witnessing a significant chapter in tennis history.
On the court, Williams demonstrated her enduring skill by defeating World No. 35 Peyton Stearns and becoming the second-oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match. However, her journey in Washington ended in the next round with a loss to Poland’s Magdalena Fręch, ranked 24th in the world, in straight sets.
It’s great to see an icon like her (Williams) still performing at a high level for, at this point, decades, which is impressive,
Gauff remarked about the tennis legend.
Williams later received a wildcard entry to the Cincinnati Open, although her momentum was halted with a first-round defeat by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain.
Venus Williams’ Approach and Outlook During Her Comeback
Venus Williams’ return to professional tennis is remarkable given the health battles she has faced, including uterine fibroids and Sjögren’s syndrome. Her mindset for this comeback emphasizes enjoyment over pressure as she aims to rediscover her love for the game.
My personal goal is to have fun, I think, right now, enjoy the moment, and not put too much pressure on myself,
Williams shared about her current goals.
I don’t know if I define success at this moment in any sort of way other than believing in myself and sticking to my process.
Recognizing the difficulty of returning after a time away, Williams acknowledged the challenge ahead.
That’s not easy to do, especially after a layoff. So those are my goals.
Her continued motivation stems from the pure challenge tennis offers.
I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge, overcoming – when you play, you overcome so many challenges: your opponents, the conditions, a lot of times you have to overcome yourself. Those things are very exciting.
Williams has also refined her game strategy to focus on consistency rather than power. She explained,
It’s about hitting big and actually putting it in. So this will be my effort: put it in the court. That’s my main goal.
The comeback will continue at the US Open, where Williams earned a wildcard spot in the singles draw. At 45 years old, she will be the oldest singles competitor since Renee Richards in 1981. This tournament marks her 25th US Open appearance, where she has won two singles titles and two doubles titles with her sister Serena Williams. Additionally, she plans to compete in mixed doubles alongside Reilly Opelka, showing her determination to stay active and competitive.