Venus Williams handed Australian Open wildcardAFP, MELBOURNESeven-time major singles champion Venus Williams was handed a wildcard to the Australian Open aged 45 yesterday, becoming the oldest woman ever to play at the season-opening Grand Slam. “I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said. She was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017. She would become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open since Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015. Williams, a four-time Australian Open doubles champion, is set to begin her preparations for the Jan. 18 to Feb. 1 tournament at the Auckland Classic next week, having returned to the circuit at the US Open last year after a 16-month break.

Source: Taipei Times January 02, 2026 23:13 UTC