Venus Williams and Madison Keys End US Open Adventure Early
US Open
August 26, 2025
Venus Williams and Madison Keys carried rather different weights of expectation on their shoulders going into the US Open.
Both will feel the adventure is over too soon, though.
For Williams, the objective was surely to compete and entertain Arthur Ashe one last time with flashes of her old power and magic. In that sense, it was very much mission accomplished.
Venus Williams might take some persuading to extend her farewell tour to Wimbledon 2026. She’d be 46 by then, after all. But who knows?
Madison Keys, who won the Australian Open this year and reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2023, will surely still be in the hunt for more glory at the All England Club next time around.
Back in New York, Venus Williams waved to all sides of the arena as she left the stage after a very creditable three-set defeat to the likeable eleventh seed, Karolina Muchova.
If this really was farewell to Grand Slam tennis, she did it in style. Particularly after the early signs pointed towards the unwanted potential for humiliation.
Venus spoke later of ‘ring-rust’ – and that was certainly visible at the start. She moved like a 45-year-old. She barely won a point in each of the first two games.
Then something wonderful happened. The old Williams returned. Fleetingly at first, then often enough for us all to marvel at her longevity.
Winning the second set was probably beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. But it happened – and brought the vast crowd to its feet in raptures.
Sure, Muchova came through 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 as Venus finally ran out of steam. But we were reminded what would have happened when Williams was at the top of her game a quarter of a century earlier.
For at least a set, we were shown the old Venus in all her glory. And we were grateful for that opportunity.
Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2026 would be an extraordinary sight to behold. But she would need to catch the travel bug again.
‘Are there any tournaments in the States?’ Venus joked when asked about her future. ‘Can someone move a tournament here?’
This may be the last time we see Venus at a major. But if it is the last time, what a way to go!
At least we should see Madison Keys back to her best at Wimbledon 2026. But she will need to put those nerves behind her once more.
Madison made a nightmare 89 unforced errors as the little-known Renata Zarazua beat her 6-7 (10-12), 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
The defeated sixth seed was admirably honest when she said later: ‘I feel like today, for the first time in a while, my nerves really got the better of me. It became a little bit paralysing.’
Venus Williams and Madison Keys suffered very different defeats in New York. Now the show must now go on without them!
And the biggest show of all awaits in London next summer. Wimbledon 2026 will be unforgettable. Will you be there? Get in touch and we can make it happen for you.