Venus Williams sets Australian Open record at age of 45 but falters with win in sight

January 18, 2026

TL;DR

Venus Williams set a new record as the oldest singles competitor at the Australian Open at 45 years old.
Williams lost her first-round match to Olga Danilovic 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, after leading 4-0 in the third set.
Despite the loss, Williams expressed pride in her effort and her game improvement.
Frances Tiafoe and Michael Zheng advanced in their respective matches.
Taylor Townsend advanced due to a withdrawal, and Hailey Baptiste won an all-American match.
Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from the tournament due to a shoulder injury.

Continue reading the original article