Venus Williams has been drawn against her American compatriot at the Washington Open.
Williams is returning to the WTA Tour at 45 years old, in her first tournament since March 2024.
Despite being inactive on the WTA Tour for over a year, Williams had not confirmed her retirement, with there being many questions surrounding the former world number one.
Those questions were answered when Williams, who is a seven-time major winner, was announced as a wildcard for the Washington Open.
After the draw for the WTA 500 tournament was made, Williams has now discovered who her opponent will be for her first singles match in 16 months.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesPeyton Stearns: The record-breaking American who is now set to play Venus Williams
Williams’ first round opponent in the singles draw of the Washington Open is her compatriot Peyton Stearns.
Stearns, who is 23 years old, is the current world number 34 and has already produced some impressive results in her young career.
This includes winning her maiden WTA Tour title at the clay court tournament in Rabat last year.
Stearns has also received heavy praise from Ons Jabeur, but she is yet to win a title so far this year and is actually winless at Grand Slams in 2025.
However, she did produce a record-breaking run at a WTA 1000 tournament in Rome earlier this year.
At the Italian Open in May, Stearns made American tennis history by reaching the semifinals, but it was the way she did it that got people talking.
On her route to her best ever result at a WTA 1000 tournament, Stearns beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka and Elina Svitolina in consecutive matches.
What was record-breaking about these matches is that they were all won in third set tie-breaks, with Stearns becoming the first WTA player in the Open Era to achieve this feat.
Peyton Stearns’ record at the Washington Open
Despite being 22 years her upcoming opponent’s junior, Stearns has played at the Washington Open more times than Williams.
Williams made her only previous appearance at the Washington Open, which hosted its first WTA event in 2011, just three years ago.
In that appearance, Williams was beaten in the first round by Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino.
Stearns has found more success in the American capital, having twice reached the last-16 at the WTA 500 tournament.
Last year, Stearns lost at this stage of the tournament to Emma Raducanu, who will also be in Washington again this year.
Although it appears that Williams may have the odds stacked against her against Stearns, she has also entered the doubles tournament alongside Hailey Baptiste.
That is one of two standout doubles teams that were revealed in the draw, with the aforementioned Raducanu also partnering a former Grand Slam champion.