Although Venus Williams fell to Agnieszka Radwanska in the final of the Rogers Cup on Sunday, this result did not diminish what has been a fine season thus far for the 34-year-old American. With the U. S. Open around the corner, Williams hopes to make an impact in front of a New York crowd that cherishes her.

Williams started 2014 solidly with a run to the final at Auckland. After a pair of quick exits at the Australian Open and Doha, she captured the title at Dubai. But it was a midsummer loss that caught the eye of many observers and underscored the fact that Williams was not quite ready to hang up her racket just yet.

That defeat was in the third round at Wimbledon, where the American played tremendous tennis in pushing eventual champion Petra Kvitova to the brink in a three-set match where a handful of points separated the women. Following Wimbledon, Williams parlayed that performance into a victory against Victoria Azarenka in Stanford before putting together her recent run in Montreal last week. There, she defeated Angelique Kerber, Carla Suarez Navarro, and her sister Serena before falling to Radwanska in the final. The result of her string of summer success has landed Williams back inside the top 20 for the first time since March 2013.

“I totally wanted to be in the top 20 earlier this year,” said Williams. “I've been having goals. It's always a goal in mind for myself and hopefully most tennis players. I would love to hit the top 16 and just keep going forward after that. Obviously, if I can continue this level of tennis, it will be something that can happen for me.”

With retirement talk swirling recently, Williams is showing no desire to slow down. Addressing the Montreal crowd after the final, she served notice that she would return in two years, the next time the event is held there.

Meanwhile, with the U. S. Open less than two weeks away, Williams could be considered as a contender. But can she summon the energy and quick recovery time needed to string together similar success for an entire fortnight? During the Rogers Cup final, she showed signs that the battles during the week had taken their toll. A savvy Radwanska forced the tall American to strike lower balls, which saw a multitude of tired-looking shots find themselves in the net as Williams struggled to consistently position herself to effectively return.

For Williams, stamina has become even more of a factor as her battle with the autoimmune disease Sjogren's syndrome is a constant. However, with a change in lifestyle that included a new exercise routine and diet, she has been able to slowly return to a form that more resembles her younger self. As the US Open approaches, her age coupled with the condition will be a factor to watch during a period when Williams is playing her best tennis in months.

Although, before the final Grand Slam of the year, Williams will return to the court at the Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday, just two days after falling to Radwanska in Montreal. Her task there will be a daunting one as the American squares off against Lucie Safarova in the first round. With success, Williams could face Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova before sniffing a semifinal appearance.

Nonetheless, with conversation centered around which American will inherit the torch once the Williams sisters’ reign ends, Venus is working hard to climb back towards the top and building momentum this summer. Her goal is a focused one:  she is looking ahead to much more tennis, not retirement.