At 45, Venus Williams once again wrote a unique page in the history of tennis. The American, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, became the oldest player to compete in the main draw of the Australian Open singles, although her return ended with a first-round defeat to Serbian Olga Danilovic. Williams, ranked 576th in the world and present in Melbourne thanks to a wild card, came very close to extending her run. The match slipped away after more than two hours of play and an unexpected outcome: Danilovic prevailed 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, after coming back from 0-4 down in the third set. The Serbian secured the crucial break in a lengthy penultimate game and reeled off six consecutive games to signal the comeback. “It was an incredible experience on the court today,” Williams said after the match, leaving with a smile and waving to the cheering crowd in the stadium. 

A historic record and a performance that left positive feelings. With her appearance in the first round, Venus surpassed the record previously held by Japan's Kimiko Date, who competed in Melbourne at 44 years old in 2015. This was no small feat in a career marked by longevity and resilience. “I'm really proud of my effort today because I'm playing better with each match, getting to the places I want to get to,” the American stated. “Right now, I just have to keep going and work on myself and work on controlling my mistakes.” Williams also explained that the process is part of a competitive readjustment. "Those are things that also come with playing extra matches... all those things I'm still learning. 

It's a bit strange, but it's super exciting to have played so well and put myself in that position and come so close," he added. The Australian Open holds a special significance in his career. He was just 17 years old when he made his debut at Melbourne Park in 1998, a tournament in which he reached the quarterfinals. This was his 22nd appearance in Australia, a country where he has never won the title, although he has played in two finals. Both losses were against her sister Serena, in 2003 and 2017.

Venus arrived in Melbourne accompanied by her husband, actor Andrea Preti, whom she married in December. In terms of the tournament, her intention went beyond breaking the age record:she aspired to continue advancing in the draw and dream of a possible match against Coco Gauff in later rounds.

After the defeat, the American avoided talking about a possible retirement. "I'll think about my future when the time comes. Right now I'm playing doubles and I'm focused on that," she said. "I'm focused on the tournament. My goal is doubles and that's where my mind is."