AT A GLANCE
- Venus Williams returned to the Australian Open for the first time in five years and set a tournament record at age 45.
- She became the oldest woman to compete in Australian Open history, nearly 30 years after her debut.
- Williams led early but fell in the first round to Serbia’s Olga Danilovic.
- Despite the loss, Williams called the moment “amazing” and said her game continues to improve.
Venus Williams Returned to the Australian Open for the First Time in Five Years and Nearly 30 Years After She Made Her Debut at 17
Venus Williams returned to the Australian Open for the first time in five years and, despite a first-round loss, made history simply by stepping onto the court. At 45, Williams became the oldest woman to ever compete in the tournament, nearly 30 years after she made her Grand Slam debut as a 17-year-old, according to Australian Open officials.
Williams said she hadn’t given much thought to the milestone until it began making headlines. “So yay. Yay for me! Let’s do this,” she told AP News, brushing off the record with her trademark mix of humor and perspective.
On the court, Williams opened strong against 24-year-old Serbian opponent Olga Danilovic, jumping out to a 4–0 lead. Danilovic responded by winning the next six games, closing out the match and handing Williams a first-round exit at the Australian Open.
Despite the result, Williams expressed gratitude for the moment and the crowd’s energy. “It was such a great game, such a great moment,” she said in comments to ESPN. “The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much.”
Williams also credited Danilovic’s performance, noting that momentum and luck are always part of the sport. “She played a great game. Also some luck there, as well,” Williams said. “That’s just the sport. That’s how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment.”
Sunday’s match marked Williams’ first Australian Open appearance since 2021 and came roughly six months after her official return to professional tennis in July 2025 at the Citi DC Open. She acknowledged that the comeback has required adjustment.
“In a lot of ways, I’m having to relearn how to do things again,” Williams said, adding that she feels encouraged by her steady improvement. “I’m really proud of my effort today because I’m playing better with each match, getting to the places that I want to get to.”
While the tournament ended early, Williams made clear that the bigger picture remains forward-looking. “It’s kind of weird, but it’s super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in that position and come very close,” she said.
