Venus Williams wanted to send a message — to herself and to others — about coming back from a long layoff, about competing in a sport at age 45, about never giving up. Yes, there was something special about just being back on a tennis court Tuesday night.

Venus Williams has become the second oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match with her 6-3 6-4 victory over Peyton Stearns. The 45-year-old was playing her first singles match in 16 months at the Washington Open and beat an opponent aged 22 years younger than her.

The only older woman to win a tour-level singles match was Martina Navratilova, whose last triumph came at 47 in 2004.