Venus Williams says she hopes to compete at this year’s French Open after returning to clay court tennis for the first time in five years.
She played at the Madrid Open but lost in the first round to Kaitlin Quevedo, 6-2, 6-4. This was her 10th straight singles defeat since returning from a 16-month break last season.
Williams, 45, said she still needs a wild card to enter Roland Garros.
She said she was happy to be back on clay, even though she has not played much on the surface in recent years.
“I haven’t played on clay in years, but I enjoy it,” she said. She also said she started training on clay only a few weeks after the Miami Open.
Williams added that she is disappointed to miss the Rome tournament due to other commitments, saying she would have liked to continue her clay season there.
Her last match on clay before Madrid was at Roland Garros in 2021.
The French Open begins on 24 May.
