Venus Williams gets wild card for 2026 Australian Open at age 45, 5 years after last appearance

January 2, 2026

TL;DR

Venus Williams will compete in the 2026 Australian Open, her first appearance there in five years.
At 45, she is poised to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw.
Williams received a wild-card entry for the 2026 tournament, 28 years after her debut in 1998.
She made a comeback in July 2025, winning her first singles match in nearly two years.
Williams reached the quarterfinals of the 2025 U.S. Open women's doubles tournament.
She is also scheduled to play in Auckland and Hobart, New Zealand and Australia, respectively, before the Australian Open.
The current record for the oldest woman in the Australian Open main draw is held by Kimiko Date at 44.
Williams has a record of 54 wins and 21 losses at Melbourne Park and this will be her 22nd main draw appearance.

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