Venus Williams became the oldest player since Martina Navratilova to win a tour-level singles match at the Citi Open in Washington.
It was her first singles match in 16 months and the unranked seven-time former Grand Slam champion will next face fifth-seeded Polish player Magdalena Frech.
Navratilova was 47 when she won her final singles match in 2004 at Wimbledon in the first round.
Williams, who returned to the courts on Monday with a doubles victory alongside Haley Baptiste, told the WTA website: “I think it was a big win for me today.
“It will be difficult. It is not easy for anyone here. So I understand that I will have to fight for every game, but I am ready for it.
“There is no limit to perfection. It all depends on your thoughts and how much effort you are willing to put in. If you put in the effort mentally, physically and emotionally, you can achieve success.”
Britain's Dan Evans, 10 years Williams' junior and looking to return to the top 100, recorded another impressive victory, beating American 13th seed Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-4.
Evans won the biggest title of his career in the American capital two years ago but was unable to defend it last year, opting to play doubles with Andy Murray at the Olympics, which turned out to be the Scot's final tournament.
Evans' victory was a fine end to a day for Britain's women's tennis players, with Emma Raducanu beginning her preparations for next month's US Open with an impressive straight-sets victory over seventh seed Marta Kostyuk.
Playing her first singles match since defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of Wimbledon, Raducanu withstood the onslaught of the 27th-ranked Ukrainian to win a tense encounter 7-6 (4) 6-4.
“It was a very good win,” Raducanu said in an on-court interview. “Playing Marta in the first round is incredibly difficult,
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
