Venus Williams is set to achieve an incredible milestone at the Australian Open

Venus Williams still shows remarkable endurance and a burning desire for professional tennis by choosing to participate in the 2026 Australian Open and its preparatory events.

Venus Williams is approaching a historic landmark at the Australian Open as she prepares to become the oldest female player ever to compete in the main draw of the year's first Grand Slam. Previously, Williams has received a wildcard entry from the organizers for the tournament starting on January 18th.

When the Australian Open officially begins, Venus Williams will be 45 years, 7 months, and 1 day old, surpassing the previous record held by Kimiko Date-Krumm. The former Japanese player competed in 2015 at age 44 but was eliminated in the first round. Venus's comeback is not only personally significant but also a testament to her rare longevity in women's tennis history.

This upcoming return will mark Venus Williams’s 22nd appearance at the Australian Open. Since her debut in 1998, she has won 54 matches and lost 21 in Melbourne. In her very first tournament, Venus made a splash by reaching the quarterfinals, defeating her sister Serena Williams before losing to Lindsay Davenport.

"Queen V" was twice runner-up at the tournament in 2003 and 2017—both times losing to Serena Williams. However, her success at the Australian Open extends beyond singles. Venus and Serena together won four women’s doubles titles from 2001 to 2010, and Venus also claimed the mixed doubles title in 1998 alongside Justin Gimelstob.

Venus’s return to top-level competition comes after a long period of limited singles play. Last July, she attracted attention by winning her first singles match in 16 months at the DC Open, defeating the young player Peyton Stearns. This victory made her the second oldest female player to win a tour-level singles match, after Martina Navratilova.

Off the court, Venus recently celebrated a personal milestone by marrying actor and model Andrea Preti last month in Florida. Ahead of the Australian Open, the 45-year-old player plans to compete in warm-up events such as the ASB Classic and Hobart International, continuing her journey to defy age limits and redefine endurance in women’s tennis worldwide.