Venus Williams enters the history of the Australian Open

Veteran American star Venus Williams continues to write extraordinary chapters in her sporting career, reaffirming that age has never been a barrier to passion and ambition.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion and sister of tennis icon Serena Williams is set to make history once again when she competes in the 2026 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the new season, as the oldest player ever to feature in the main draw, at the age of 45.

Venus, a former world No. 1 and winner of 49 career titles, will begin her preparations for the new season by competing at the Auckland tournament in New Zealand, before moving on to the Hobart warm-up event in Australia. Despite her relative absence from competition in recent years, the American star has stressed that she still feels the same inner spark that drove her to the top of the sport from the very beginning, noting that she would not travel long distances around the world without a strong internal motivation to continue.

The elder of the Williams sisters received a wildcard entry from the Australian Open organizers, five years after her last appearance on the Melbourne courts, setting a new age-related record — something she said was not her primary focus, as her main aim is simply to enjoy the game. She explained that her approach to preparation has changed compared to the peak of her career, as she no longer follows the same intense regime, instead seeking a balance between sporting ambition and physical and mental well-being.

Venus believes that one of her most important goals today is to maintain happiness and accept discomfort, considering this mental aspect to be what truly distinguishes great champions. With a light-hearted spirit, she also highlighted the physical benefits tennis continues to give her, affirming that the yellow ball remains her ideal mean of staying fit and active.

Venus’s career stands as one of the most influential in the history of women’s tennis. She has claimed five Wimbledon titles and two US Open crowns, and reached the Australian Open final twice, in 2003 and 2017, without managing to secure the singles title. She has also enjoyed remarkable success in doubles, winning 14 major titles, including four in Melbourne alongside her sister Serena, forming a partnership that defined a golden era in the sport.

Venus returned to competition in the summer of last year after an absence of around a year and a half, taking part in tournaments in Washington and Cincinnati, followed by the US Open at Flushing Meadows. However, she suffered early exits in all of those appearances.

Despite being some distance from her best level, her presence in Australia remains a standout moment, embodying perseverance and longevity, and reflecting the story of a player who has not lost her passion and still believes that there is always room for dreams, no matter how advanced the years may be.

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