Venus Williams, 45, made history on Sunday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, becoming the oldest woman ever to compete in the tournament’s main draw. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist received a wild-card entry into the tournament, marking her return after five years. Though Williams initially took the lead against 24-year-old Olga Danilovic, she was ultimately defeated, resulting in a first-round exit for the tennis legend. “She played a great game. Also some luck there, as well. That’s just the sport. That’s how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment,” Williams said after the game. The 45-year-old had previously finished as runner-up twice in the tournament, both times losing in the final to her sister, Serena Williams, 44. The older Williams sister returned to professional tennis in 2025 after a 16-month hiatus, competing on wild-card entries at the DC Open, Cincinnati Open, and US Open. “In a lot of ways I’m having to relearn how to do things again, if that makes any sense,” Williams said about Sunday’s historic performance.
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