Venus Williams is set to make Australian Open history.
The tennis legend has received a wild-card entry for this year’s tournament, which begins Jan. 18 in Melbourne. At that time, Williams will be 45 years, 7 months and 1 day old, which will make her the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw.
The record is currently held by Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm, who was 44 years, 3 months and 23 days old when she lost to Anna Tatishvili in the first round of the 2015 Australian Open women’s singles tournament.
This will be the 22nd Australian Open appearance for Williams, who is 54-21 overall at the tournament. She first played there in 1998, defeating younger sister Serena in the second round and losing in the quarterfinals to Lindsay Davenport of the U.S.
A seven-time Grand Slam winner, Williams has finished as runner-up in Melbourne twice, losing to Serena in the 2003 and 2017 finals. The Williams sisters paired for four doubles titles at the event (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010), and Venus also won an Australian Open mixed doubles title with Justin Gimelstob in 1998.
“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said in a statement. “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.”
Last July, in her first singles match after a 16-month hiatus, Williams defeated 23-year-old Peyton Stearns in the first round of the D.C. Open to become the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match (Martina Navratilova won at age 47 in 2004).
During an on-court interview after that match, Williams revealed that she was engaged to 37-year-old Danish model and actor Andrea Preti.
“Yes, my fiancé is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing,” Williams said. “There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill. … He encouraged me to get through this, and it’s wonderful [for him] to be here. He’s never seen me play.”
Williams and Preti were married last month in Florida.
At the U.S. Open last summer, Williams found success with 22-year-old Canadian doubles partner Leylah Fernandez. The pair won their first three matches without dropping a set before losing in the quarterfinals to Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova.
Williams is slated to warm up for the Australian Open at next week’s ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, and at the Hobart International in Australia starting Jan. 12.
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