Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has been granted a wildcard entry for the Australian Open, which begins on 18 January in Melbourne. The 45-year-old American will return to Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance in 1998, when she defeated her sister Serena in the second round before losing in the quarter-finals.
The tournament announced on Friday that Williams will also play in the Hobart International, a WTA event held a week before the Australian Open. She had previously announced in November that she would compete in Auckland, New Zealand, where she also received a wildcard.
Williams last appeared at the Australian Open in 2021. She has twice been runner-up in the women's singles, losing to Serena in the finals of 2003 and 2017. Her overall record at Melbourne Park stands at 54 wins and 21 losses, and this will be her 22nd appearance in the main draw.
“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said. “I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”
Williams is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing Japan's Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she played in 2015. In late December, Williams married Danish-born model and actor Andrea Preti in Palm Beach, Florida.
