NEW YORK — As Venus Williams makes her much-anticipated return to the U.S. Open, starting this Sunday, much of the focus remains on her age. At 45, she is breaking records, becoming the oldest singles competitor in New York since 1981.

That, in and of itself, is noteworthy.

However, her Grand Slam comeback after a two-year hiatus holds more significance beyond age. On Monday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Williams faces Karolina Muchova, this year’s French Open runner-up and a two-time New York semifinalist, regardless of the outcome, her presence marks a milestone.

“My goal is to be my best, that’s the standard I set for myself: to bring out my best self. That’s all any athlete can strive for,” Williams said on Saturday. “I’ve not played as frequently as the others, so it presents a unique challenge. I’m focusing on enjoying myself, staying calm, and achieving my personal best.”

Williams returned to the tour in July, 16 months after her last official match and following surgery for uterine fibroids less than a year ago.

“It’s truly inspiring,” said Naomi Osaka, 27, a four-time Grand Slam winner. “I do wish headlines would stop focusing on her age. Her legacy in the sport is far beyond that.”

Alongside her sister Serena, who played her last professional match at Flushing Meadows in 2022, Venus Williams has cemented a lasting legacy in tennis and broader American culture and society. Her participation transcends sports.

They transcended the mere scores and stats and win-and-loss ledgers, and made it all about far more than that, including Venus’ famous stand in favor of equal prize money for women at Wimbledon.

“She’s one of the best athletes of all time,” two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe said. “Her and her sister, they’re not only great for the women’s game, not only great for women’s sports, but they are so iconic.”

Their story bears repeating: Two siblings were first taught tennis by their self-taught father and both not only made it to the professional tour but both reached No. 1 in the rankings and won the most important trophies in their global sport.

“People, I guess,” Osaka said, “should value them a little bit more.”

Osaka grew up watching the Williams sisters, then competed against them.

So did plenty of other women, such as Coco Gauff, who first announced herself to the world by defeating Venus at Wimbledon in 2019. After that match, Gauff — just 15 at the time — said she thanked Venus “for everything she did,” and told reporters: “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.”

In 2000, Venus became the first Black woman since Althea Gibson in the 1950s to win the championship at the All England Club.

“She’s (had) a huge impact. … It’s so cool to see a legend still playing, still doing what she loves,” 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez said. “It’s not, kind of, to prove people wrong, but it’s because she truly loves the sport — and you can see the kid in her. I love that.”

Indeed, asked why she would bother playing, Williams replied: “Why not?”

Williams collected five singles trophies at Wimbledon and also won the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001. That’s aside from 14 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles — all with Serena — and two in mixed doubles, an event she returned to at Flushing Meadows this week.

Since the Williams sisters came on the scene — Venus made her professional debut in 1994, when she was 14; Serena, who is 15 months younger, would soon follow and ended up with 23 major singles titles — they set an example for kids who looked like them and wanted to play tennis.

Last month in Washington, Williams took pride in noticing that there were three Black women competing on the court when she played — and won, by the way — a doubles match during the first event of her comeback.

“It’s amazing that now African-American girls know they can play tennis, that that’s an option, an opportunity for them to be out there, too, on the court, in whatever capacity,” she said, “whether you get to the pros, whether you play college or whether you just learn from the sport.”

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