Before warm-up events in Auckland and Hobart this year, the seven-time major singles champion had not competed since last September, when she took a set off 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round at Flushing Meadows. She enjoyed a charmed run to the quarterfinals of the doubles in New York alongside Leylah Fernandez.
In her first match back to competition last July, she surprised younger compatriot Peyton Stearns in Washington, DC, her only singles win in almost a year.
“There were periods where I was super busy, so I’d have to take a week off here or three days off there, but for the most part I was training and trying to get myself back in the groove,” Venus said ahead of Sunday’s first-round meeting with Serbian lefty Olga Danilovic.
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“At this point, I need to be kind to myself, because I’m getting so many things right, but, you know, there had been a lack of playing matches. So, you know, I’m playing well. I’m setting myself up each point to win points and controlling the points.
“That’s exactly how I’d want to play, and I’m playing the tennis I need to play.”
