Playing her first singles match since August 2023, Venus Williams defeated World No. 35 Peyton Stearns in straight sets to become the oldest tour-level match winner in more than two decades.

Venus Williams earned her first singles victory in nearly two years, becoming second-oldest woman to win a tour-level match.

There are plenty of reasons why this particular victory by Venus Williams in this particular tennis match — just one of hundreds — resonated with so many folks.

Williams won her first match at just 14 years old in 1994, beating Shaun Stafford at the WTA event in Oakland, California.