Venus Williams set to become oldest woman in Australian Open main draw with wild card entry

Venus Williams is not ready to bring her storied tennis career to an end just yet.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles winner landed a wild card entry for this year’s Australian Open. The first major tournament of the season begins on Jan. 18.

In a social media post on Friday, tournament organizers confirmed that the 45-year-old Williams would return to Melbourne Park after a five-year absence. Williams made her debut at the Australian Open 28 years ago.

Venus outlasted her younger sister and fellow tennis great Serena Williams at the 1998 Australian Open, but was ultimately defeated in the quarterfinals by Lindsay Davenport.

Williams also received a wild card to a WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand in November.

VENUS WILLIAMS EARNS US OPEN WILD-CARD INVITATION AS OLDEST SINGLES ENTRANT IN OVER 40 YEARS

The 45-year-old Williams last competed in Melbourne in 2021. She has finished runner-up in the women’s singles twice, losing to Serena Williams in the finals in 2003 and 2017.

“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.”

Venus Williams’ record at Melbourne Park stands at 54 wins and 21 losses. This year will mark the 22nd time she has appeared in the main draw.

Australian Open officials said Williams was set to become the oldest woman to compete in the tournament’s main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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