Venus Williams made history as the oldest woman to compete in the Australian Open on Sunday, but the 45-year-old was eliminated in the first round following a gripping match against an opponent over 20 years her junior. The American seven-time Grand Slam champion received a wildcard for Melbourne, five years after her last appearance at the major.
This decision faced criticism amid concerns that it denied a younger player the opportunity, particularly since Williams lost in the first round of both her warm-up tournaments. Nevertheless, the ageless veteran demonstrated flashes of her enduring talent, pushing 24-year-old Serbian Olga Danilovic to the limit before losing the final six games, crashing out with a scoreline of 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 after a grueling 2 hours and 17 minutes.
“Not easy,” said Danilovic. “I told myself before the match that I wanted to seize this moment, and while I can’t say I enjoyed it, I recognised the significance of playing against Venus Williams.”
“There were plenty of nerves. I reminded myself to just play, to give it my all and take it point by point. I’m thrilled to have secured this win, but it was an absolute pleasure to compete against such a legend.”
Following a standing ovation, former world No. 1 Williams, now ranked 576, began promisingly, breaking Danilovic’s first service game. However, the Serbian quickly levelled the set with a fortunate net cord. Williams unleashed powerful serves and showed no sign of mobility issues as the set progressed to a tiebreak, where she fell 2-0 behind but rallied to clinch it with a clinical forehand winner.
Danilovic secured an early break in the second set, and Williams struggled to find an answer, leading to a decider where the American raced to a 4-0 lead.
various approaches, and learned from every situation. Some strategies worked, others did not — but that is how teams grow. What matters most to me is clear: this team possesses character, commitment, and a bright future ahead.”
