Venus aims to make history at Australian Open
Williams returns to Melbourne on the 25th anniversary of her tournament debut.
Tennis icon Venus Williams will attempt to become the oldest female singles player to win a match at the Australian Open after receiving a wild card for the first grand-slam tournament of 2023.
There was a theory that the 42-year-old American might follow her younger sister Serena, 41, into retirement after this year’s US Open, but it was confirmed on Monday that she has decided to prolong her long playing career despite a lowly world ranking of No 1,007.
Williams returns to Melbourne on the 25th anniversary of her tournament debut. A first-round win would mean she surpasses Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm, who won an Australian Open women’s singles match at the age of 42 in 2013. The oldest female to win at any grand-slam is Martina Navratilova, who reached the second round of Wimbledon 2004 at 47.
“I am very excited to be returning to Melbourne to compete at the Australian Open in January,” Williams said.
“I’ve been competing in the country for over 20 years now and the Australian community has always supported me wholeheartedly. It will be an honour to play for the fans again and I’m looking forward to making more memories at the tournament this year.”
Williams has never won the Australian Open, finishing runner-up twice, in 2003 and 2017. Five of her seven grand-slam singles titles were won at Wimbledon (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008), with the other two claimed at the US Open (2000, 2001).
Some Australian tennis fans have complained that Williams is taking a coveted wild-card spot — of which there are only eight in a 128-player draw — away from young local players. She lost all four singles matches she contested this year, with her most recent victory on the tour coming 18 months ago in the first round of Wimbledon 2021.
“Venus is not just an incredible player and fan favourite, she’s a great role model and leader in our sport in so many ways,” Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director, said. “We are delighted to welcome her back in January.”
There is no prospect of Serena competing in Melbourne. Despite lightheartedly teasing in recent months that her retirement is not definitive, sources have told The Times that she has removed herself from all anti-doping obligations. This means that the 23-times grand-slam singles champion would have to give six months’ notice to authorities if she ever wished to return.
