Venus Williams Loses in Wimbledon’s First Round After Injury
Venus Williams during the 2023 Wimbledon Championships in London.
Photographer: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty ImagesWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — As Venus Williams entered Centre Court for her 24th Wimbledon appearance at age 43, greeted by a standing ovation, she held a green exercise band overhead with both hands and stretched it while striding to her sideline seat.
Once her first-round match against Elina Svitolina began, Williams played like a throwback version of herself. Those big serves. Those crisp strokes. Quickly, she was a point from a 3-0 lead on Monday.