Venus Williams sporadically appeared across the 2025 season, most notably beating Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Washington Open.
The American icon has refused to retire from the sport that she dominated for decades, with Williams adding the ASB Classic to her 2026 schedule.
Williams has not won a tournament since 2016, but the American great always proves that class is permanent when she returns to the sport.
Ahead of her return to the WTA Tour in 2026, Williams has also announced an exhibition match before 2025 comes to an end.
Venus Williams will play an exhibition match in December 2025
Madison Keys has announced an exhibition match against Williams, which will take place on American soil in December 2025.
Taking to X, the 2025 Australian Open champion revealed: “Last year Charlotte showed so much love for tennis, I couldn’t wait to come back!
“Watch me at the Charlotte Sports Foundation’s Charlotte Invitational on December 4 at the Spectrum Center where I will face Venus Williams.”
The inaugural event will also feature a men’s tennis match, with Frances Tiafoe taking on Taylor Fritz at the event.
This will be Williams’ seventh appearance in 2025 after the star played in Washington, Cincinnati, and the US Open.
Venus Williams head-to-head record with Madison Keys
Williams and Keys will be playing each other for the seventh time in Charlotte, with their last match coming in 2023.
Keys leads the head-to-head with four wins from their six matches, which have included wins at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Williams won her first two matches against Keys, defeating the star at the Charleston Open and the Australian Open, the latter being their only Grand Slam meeting.
Keys will be playing Williams off the back of one of her best-ever seasons, which included WTA Finals qualification and a maiden Grand Slam win.
