Venus Williams made an inspiring return to tennis this summer after not competing much in the past two seasons. The 45-year-old tennis legend first returned at the Citi Open in July and won her first match in nearly two years. She then played in the Cincinnati Open and the U.S. Open, losing in the first rounds of both tournaments.

Carlos Alcaraz opens his bid for a sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open on Monday as Venus Williams prepares to make a record-extending 25th appearance at the tennis

In the men's draw, Alcaraz did not have an easy first round for his debut at Flushing Meadows. Facing the excellent server Opelka, the Spaniard did not falter, winning in three sets (6-4, 7-5, 6-4) and securing his 55th win of the year,