By Erik Gudris | @ATNTennis | Sunday July 31, 2022
Fans arriving early at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. on Sunday were treated to a double viewing of the Williams Sisters.
Venus Williams and Serena Williams practiced with each other in the morning just before the start of final qualifying matches at the combined ATP 500 and WTA 250 event.
While Venus is entered in the women’s singles draw, seeing Serena Williams on site was likely a surprise for many. The 23-time major champion is not in the draw, but will be playing next week (August 8-14) at the National Bank Open in Toronto, along with Venus. Both have accepted wild cards into Toronto and Cincinnati, ahead of the 2022 US Open.
Fans crowded around the practice court to get a glimpse of the two all-time greats and former World No. 1’s.
When Serena posted earlier on Saturday that she was in town for The Weeknd concert, there was a good chance she might appear at the Citi Open to support her sister.
Both Williams Sisters have played World Team Tennis for the Washington Kastles in D.C. for years and each have a long affinity with the city. Tournament owner Mark Ein, who also owns the Kastles, stopped by during the practice session.
August will be a busy month for the legendary sisters. Serena already made her return to the singles circuit for the first time in a year at Wimbledon. The 23-time major champion lost in the first round to Harmony Tan, but showed solid form in the process.
When asked if she thought it might be her last match at Wimbledon, the 40-year-old replied: “That's a question I can't answer. Like, I don't know. I feel like, you know, I don't know. Who knows? Who knows where I'll pop up.”
Venus, playing her first singles match since last summer in Chicago, is scheduled to play her first round against a qualifier on Monday night.