It's really inspiring to be here, and I'm still hitting hard," Venus Williams says with joy

Venus Williams is making her return to competition in Washington, where she will face Peyton Stearns in singles this Tuesday. In doubles, she teamed up with Hailey Baptiste on Monday and secured a win against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue.

The American was delighted with the victory and said after the match: "It was amazing to come here and feel the energy as soon as we stepped onto the court. We knew it would be a tough match.

Our opponents played really well—a young and promising Clervie and Eugenie, who played some great tennis in one of her recent matches. It wasn’t easy for us, but we quickly came together as a team.

It's truly inspiring to be here. I love this sport. And I'm still hitting hard! See you tomorrow for my singles match.