MELBOURNE, Australia — Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has earned a wild card berth to the Australian Open beginning January 18th.
The event introduced in a social media publish on Friday that Williams, 45, could be returning to Melbourne Park for the primary time 28 years since his first look. In 1998, she defeated her sister Serena within the second spherical, however misplaced to fellow American Lindsay Davenport within the quarterfinals.
Venus introduced in November that she would play within the WTA event in Auckland, New Zealand, two weeks earlier than the Australian Open, the place she additionally obtained a wild card.
She final competed in Melbourne in 2021 and is a two-time runner-up in ladies’s singles, dropping to Serena within the last in 2003 and 2017.
“I am excited to be again in Australia and searching ahead to competing within the Australian summer time,” Williams mentioned. “I’ve so many nice recollections there and am grateful for the chance to return to a spot that has meant a lot to my profession.”
Venus Williams’ report at Melbourne Park is 54 wins and 21 losses. This yr can be her twenty second time taking part in the principle occasion.
Based on the event, Williams grew to become the oldest feminine participant to play in the principle draw of the Australian Open, surpassing the report held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, 44, who misplaced within the first spherical at Melbourne Park in 2015.
In late December, Venus married Danish-born mannequin and actor Andrea Preti in Palm Seashore, Florida.
