MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Open Grandstand crowd Tuesday was smaller than the packed stadiums Venus Williams attracted back in 2002, when she was the top-ranked player in the world, battling the likes of Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis.

And there weren’t as many cameras focused on the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

But the love from her fans was just as strong for Williams, who turns 44 in June, has dropped to No. 457 in the rankings and was granted a wild card to the main draw of the Miami Open.

Every big point she won was followed by a roar from the crowd, which included her sister Serena. Every time she fell behind 15-30 or 15-40, fans shouted “C’mon V! You got this!” Despite the encouragement, Williams lost her first-round match 6-3, 6-3 to 19-year-old rising Russian star Diana Shnaider, who played college tennis at North Carolina State and left early to turn pro.

“I could totally feel the support and it felt amazing,” Williams said after the match. “Every time I won a point everyone was like, `Ahhh!’ and when I didn’t they were disappointed. It felt nice to feel that home crowd.”

There were moments when Williams displayed flashes of the powerful groundstrokes that made her famous back in the day, but Shnaider had a big enough game to neutralize her.

She said that is understandable, considering she has played just two matches since the 2023 U.S. Open. She lost two weeks ago to Japanese qualifier Nao Hibino at Indian Wells, California.

“I haven’t played here in five years, so it’s amazing to come back,” said Williams, a three-time champion in Miami. “Five years goes fast. Also, I haven’t played very often, so it’s up and down. Sometimes I’m playing at my normal level and sometimes not. Either making the right choice, or rusty. I think that’s to be expected now. Overall, I had a lot of fun.”

The fact that she is still on tour after so many years inspires her peers.

“It’s incredible to see how much she loves the game, what the game has meant to her,” said Frances Tiafoe, an American playing in the men’s draw. “It’s so hard for her to walk away. She’s loving this game, at that age, and still loving to practice. It’s just about playing matches but practicing and getting prepared and wanting to be out here. I hope she continues to enjoy it and plays as long as she wants to play. She’s such a legend. It’s good to see her out there.”

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