Why Venus Williams’s return at Wimbledon was greater than any result

With a dose of reality in the face of unwavering willpower, aghast at a contentious call to end the match, Venus Williams took her leave at Wimbledon. A wave with her left hand, a wave with her right, and out of the All England Club once more. But more so than any result against Elina Svitolina would muster was the enduring sense of unfettered resolve. Beyond any second-round spot or miraculous comeback from injury; a hope to people from all walks of life, on one of the grandest sporting stages of them all.

A straight-sets, 6-4 6-3, defeat to Ukrainian star Svitolina – who has her own magical story to tell, returning to the tour from giving birth to a daughter in October while her country is at war – was ultimately inevitable. Particularly, after a rousing start and break of serve in her favour, Williams slipped and fell in a manner not dissimilar to her sister Serena at Wimbledon two years ago. Her mobility, already restricted at the back of the court, was only hindered further. The real result was not retiring.

Because the simple fact is Venus Williams does not need to play tennis anymore. At 43 years of age, she has five Wimbledon singles crowns to her name. Twenty-three Grand Slams in total – seven singles, 14 women’s doubles, two mixed doubles. In all disciplines, she has won 73 titles, over the course of an astonishing 30-year career. Off-court, too, she has numerous interests in the world of fashion and art.

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But all that is in the past. And nothing transcends what can be done in the future. Amid a host of injuries over the past five years, she continues to return and her star billing continues to shine bright. After all, it is not every year the world number 511 takes on the world number 76 on the opening day on Centre Court.

Following in the footsteps of her opponent, a fellow wild card, Venus entered the court in a mantra only Venus can. Sporting the compulsory all-white outfit, countered with the light-pink hair bun, she nonchalantly stretched her arms out with a green resistance band. Bask in the applause of the crowd? No need – she’s done this once or twice before.

A rasping start, so typical of the type seen over the past 26 years at SW19, followed. She hadn’t even struck a serve before fumbling the ball while bouncing, pre-serve. Then she did it again. Inevitably, a double fault followed. Yet from 0-30, she held. A game later, with two crunching backhands – one unorthodox inside-out, one more customary down-the-line – she broke serve.

Then, the flashpoint. Just two games in, the match-turner. Break point down, she approached the net and moved her right leg towards her left for a backhand volley. But as we see year after year early on in the Wimbledon fortnight, with the grass not yet trodden in and the dewy surface requiring careful manipulation, her leg gave way. A slip, a fall, a scream. A blood-curdling scream, as she clutched her already heavily bandaged right knee.

Svitolina rushed to her assistance, alongside the umpire. The trainer was immediately called to court and Williams was assisted back to her chair. Hopes of a storybook return to SW19 in tatters.

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But Williams returned to court, against the odds; a term which, simplistically, characterises a remarkable career of determination and perseverance. Whether it be emerging from California in the face of racism and inequality to be the next teen prodigy. Or in achieving equal prize money at Wimbledon in 2007, a feat she stated on Saturday was the “greatest achievement of her career”. Maybe even her longevity, as she broke an open-era record for the most appearances in the Wimbledon main draw, at 24. All of it, against the odds.

“One point at a time,” bellowed a spectator in desperation. And, point-by-point, she fought on, though strikingly hampered by her fall. No fall from grace here, though. Simply a knee issue, a common theme among most folk entering their mid-40s. Doggedly she held onto Svitolina’s coattails, but a failure to convert two break-point chances with her opponent serving for the first set proved her undoing. This one wasn’t going to three.

The second seemed on course to be more procedural, though Williams did fight back from 5-1 down to give hope once more. Yet as the American limped from side to side, Svitolina – 15 years her junior – took advantage and in the end prevailed. It was a divisive end, though, with a challenge by Svitolina going in her favour and the umpire controversially awarding the point to the Ukrainian. Williams snubbed a handshake with the umpire afterwards; the pain of the defeat more sore than any knee injury.

Nonetheless, the torch has been re-lit. Roger Federer has called it a day; Rafael Nadal is on the verge of doing the same. Younger sister Serena has hung up her racket too. But with the continued tenacity of the teenager who first broke through in the mid-90s, Venus will keep on fighting.

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Because more so than any Met Gala appearances, or family downtime for that matter, the tennis court is her home. A 25th main draw appearance next year – doubt her now at your peril – would bring an unprecedented sprinkling of silver to the Wimbledon stage. She stands for something so significant: a competitive streak which will not be defeated, no matter what the age.

A legacy has been conjured, with the finish line admirably still not in sight.

Coco Gauff soon followed her idol Venus Williams out of the Wimbledon door as the seventh seed fell to a three-set defeat to fellow American Sofia Kenin, the former Australian Open champion. Kenin had to come through qualifying in order to reach the main draw and triumphed 6-4 4-6 6-2 as Gauff became the biggest casualty of the opening round.

There were no such problems for Iga Swiatek as the World No 1 found her feet on grass to race to an impressive 6-1 6-3 win against China’s Zhu Lin following a brief rain delay. Fifth seed Caroline Garcia and fourth seed Jessica Pegula, who recovered from a second-set scare, also advanced.

In the men’s draw Novak Djokovic had to wait out a farcical hour-long rain delay on Centre Court as the defending champion began his bid for a fifth consecutive title with a straight sets win against Pedro Cachin. Casper Ruud, the men’s fourth seed, overcame a slight wobble to defeat French qualifier Laurent Lokoli 6-1 5-7 6-4 6-3 after Andrey Rublev became the first Russian player into the second round on their return to Wimbledon as he blitzed past Australian Max Purcell. Eighth seed Jannik Sinner overcame Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo to finish off proceedings on Centre Court under the roof.

British hopes were led by Jodie Burrage, Liam Broady and Jan Choinski, who all advanced to the second round. Burrage claimed her first Wimbledon win at the third attempt after defeating the American Caty McNally 6-1 6-1, while Broady dismantled the Frenchman Constant Lestienne with a stunning straight-sets win. They were joined in the second round by Choinski, who marked his Wimbledon debut with an impressive win over the experienced Serbian Dusan Lajovic.