Venus Williams, 45, Gets Australian Open Wildcard

Venus Williams, the 45-year-old American tennis star and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, has received a wildcard entry into the Australian Open, marking her return to the Melbourne major for the first time since 2021. The tournament, set for January 18 to February 1 at Melbourne Park, will see Williams become the oldest woman to compete in its main draw, surpassing the previous record held by Japan's Kimiko Date, who was 44 during her 2015 appearance.

Williams expressed enthusiasm about her comeback in a statement Friday, saying, "I'm excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer. I've had so many incredible memories there and I'm grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career." The wildcard allows her to bypass qualifying and enter directly into the 128-player singles field for what will be her 22nd main draw appearance at the event.

Her preparations begin next week at the Auckland Classic in New Zealand, where she also holds a wildcard. This will be Williams' first tournament outside the United States since 2023, following a selective return to the circuit last year after a 16-month...