Venus Williams to Return to Australian Open at Forty-Five With Wild-Card Entry
Seven-time Grand Slam champion set to compete in Melbourne 2026, becoming the oldest woman ever in the main draw
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams will return to compete at the Australian Open in Melbourne in 2026 after being awarded a wild-card entry, organisers announced, marking her first appearance at the season’s first major in five years and a historic milestone in her enduring career.
At forty-five, Williams will become the oldest woman ever to compete in the main draw of the Australian Open, surpassing the previous record set by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was forty-four when she contested the event in 2015. Williams last appeared at Melbourne Park in 2021, exiting in the second round, and she has twice finished runner-up in the tournament — both times losing to her younger sister Serena in the finals in two thousand three and two thousand seventeen.
The American veteran expressed her excitement at returning to Australia and competing during the southern summer, noting the many memorable moments she has experienced at the venue throughout her career.
Williams’s planned campaign in Oceania includes warm-up tournaments such as the Hobart International, where she has also received a wild-card, and the ASB Classic in Auckland, reflecting her broader competitive schedule ahead of the Grand Slam.
After a sixteen-month hiatus from the professional tour, Williams made a notable comeback in mid-two thousand twenty-five, claiming a tour-level singles win at the Washington event and competing in the United States Open, where she reached the doubles quarterfinals.
Her return to elite competition at an age when most players have retired underscores her remarkable longevity and sustained influence on the sport.
With a career that spans three decades, the American icon’s presence at the Australian Open will draw considerable attention from fans and fellow competitors alike.
At forty-five, Williams will become the oldest woman ever to compete in the main draw of the Australian Open, surpassing the previous record set by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was forty-four when she contested the event in 2015. Williams last appeared at Melbourne Park in 2021, exiting in the second round, and she has twice finished runner-up in the tournament — both times losing to her younger sister Serena in the finals in two thousand three and two thousand seventeen.
The American veteran expressed her excitement at returning to Australia and competing during the southern summer, noting the many memorable moments she has experienced at the venue throughout her career.
Williams’s planned campaign in Oceania includes warm-up tournaments such as the Hobart International, where she has also received a wild-card, and the ASB Classic in Auckland, reflecting her broader competitive schedule ahead of the Grand Slam.
After a sixteen-month hiatus from the professional tour, Williams made a notable comeback in mid-two thousand twenty-five, claiming a tour-level singles win at the Washington event and competing in the United States Open, where she reached the doubles quarterfinals.
Her return to elite competition at an age when most players have retired underscores her remarkable longevity and sustained influence on the sport.
With a career that spans three decades, the American icon’s presence at the Australian Open will draw considerable attention from fans and fellow competitors alike.
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