Venus Williams has carved her name into the history books as the oldest woman to ever compete in the Australian Open singles main draw, but her landmark appearance ended in a heartbreaking first-round defeat. The 45-year-old American, playing on a wild card, squandered a commanding 4-0 lead in the final set to fall to Serbia's Olga Danilovic.
A Record-Breaking Appearance Ends in Agony
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion currently ranked world No. 576, fought valiantly for over two hours on court. She clinched a tight first set in a tiebreak but ultimately succumbed to the 68th-ranked Danilovic 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. The defeat was particularly painful as Williams had raced to a 4-0 advantage in the deciding set, only to see her opponent reel off six consecutive games to seal the victory.
Despite the abrupt elimination, Williams surpassed the previous age record held by Japan's Kimiko Date, who was 44 during her 2015 campaign. This was Williams's 22nd appearance at Melbourne Park, a tournament where she first debuted as a 17-year-old in 1998 and later finished as runner-up to her sister Serena in 2003 and 2017.
An Epic Battle and a Marathon Game
The match's pivotal moment came with Williams serving at 4-4 in the final set. What followed was an epic 14-minute and 28-second game, where the veteran saved two break points and created game points of her own with powerful serves and vintage winners. The crowd was electrified, but Danilovic's relentless pressure finally told.
"It was such a great game, such a great moment. The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much," Williams reflected afterwards. She praised her opponent, adding, "She played a great game. Also, some luck there, as well. That's just the sport. That's how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment."
Looking Forward with Pride and Determination
Williams, who married Andrea Preti in December and was supported by him in Melbourne, struck a positive note despite the loss. She expressed pride in her performance and a clear determination to continue her comeback on the tour.
"I'm really proud of my effort today because I'm playing better with each match, getting to the places that I want to get to," Williams stated. "Right now, I'm just going to have to keep going forward and working on myself and working to control my errors. Those are things, too, that come with playing extra matches ... all of those things that I'm still learning. It's kind of weird, but it's super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in that position and come very close."
The loss extends Williams's recent difficult run; she arrived in Melbourne on a five-match losing streak, with her only win in her comeback coming in Washington last year. Her US Open return in August also ended in the first round. However, her historic effort in Australia proves her competitive fire still burns brightly as she continues to defy time and expectations.
