Asked if she felt satisfaction in proving people wrong, she said: “No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me.”
“I have nothing to prove. Zip. Zero.
“I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss.”
Williams, who won 14 Grand Slams in the doubles alongside sister Serena, last won a singles match in August 2023.
Although Williams never said she had retired, she was listed by the WTA as ‘inactive’ after 16 months out.
On Monday she made her return in the doubles alongside compatriot Hailey Baptiste as they beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1 in the last 16.
Williams, a former world number one, had won four Grand Slam titles by the time Stearns was born in 2001.
“She played some ball tonight,” Stearns said.
“She was moving really well, which I wasn’t expecting too much, honestly. Her serves were just on fire.”
Williams will face Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech in the second round.
