Madrid: Venus Williams has signalled her intent to continue competing on the WTA Tour, setting her sights on a potential return to clay at the French Open next month despite a challenging run of form.
The 45-year-old tennis legend made the remarks after her first-round exit at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, where she suffered a straight-sets defeat.
Williams went down 6-2, 6-4 to Spain's rising player Kaitlin Quevedo, marking her 10th consecutive singles loss on tour.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has been enduring a difficult phase, with early exits in multiple tournaments this season, including Auckland, Hobart, the Australian Open, Austin, Indian Wells and Miami.
Her last tour-level win came in July 2025, when she defeated Peyton Stearns in Washington.
Despite the results, Williams expressed enthusiasm about continuing on clay, a surface she has not regularly competed on in recent years.
'I enjoy the clay, it's fun,' she said, adding that she had only recently resumed practice on the surface after a long gap. Her last appearance on clay came at Roland Garros in 2021, where she exited in the opening round.
Williams also revealed she would miss the Italian Open due to prior commitments but remains hopeful of extending her clay-court campaign.
The veteran acknowledged the challenges of adapting to clay after limited recent exposure. 'All these things take adjustments,' she said, noting that she had begun practising on clay only a few weeks after the Miami tournament.
Even so, her determination to compete remains evident, as she looks to regain rhythm and confidence.
For Quevedo, the victory marked a significant milestone. The 20-year-old secured her first main-draw win at a WTA 1000 event and only her second tour-level win overall.
She also became the youngest Spanish player to record a main-draw victory at the Madrid Open, underlining her potential as an emerging talent in women's tennis.
Quevedo described the experience of playing Williams as special, calling it a privilege to compete against a legend on a major stage.
While results have not been in her favour, Venus Williams' resolve to continue competing highlights her enduring passion for the sport. With the French Open on the horizon, the veteran star remains focused on making another appearance on one of tennis's biggest stages.