Venus loses in 1st round of French Open for 3rd straight year
Venus Williams finished 2020 with an 0-3 record in Grand Slam matches, adding a first-round exit at the French Open to those she had at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.
After her 6-4, 6-4 loss to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in front of a handful of spectators at Court Simone Mathieu, the 40-year-old Williams said that, no, she would not play again this season - but that, yes, she "definitely" will be back on tour in 2021.
"It's really just about going back and reevaluating and moving on as quick as possible," Williams said. "It's been a very long year of quarantine. Now I'll get to rest. So I'm looking forward to that."
She is a seven-time major champion and was the 2002 runner-up at the French Open to her younger sister, Serena. But after a resurgent 2017 - reaching two finals at Grand Slam tournaments and making it to the semifinals at another - the older Williams has not enjoyed much success at her sport's four most important events.
Dating to the start of 2018, she now has failed to get past the first round in seven of the past 11 Slams.
Schmiedlova plays U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka in the second round.
And what's next for Williams?
"I'm going home from here. I'm done," she said. "If there is somewhere to play, I won't be there."