Venus Williams, the Seven-time Grand Slam champion, will compete in the main draw at Australian Open 2026 later this January after receiving the eighth and final women’s wild-card entry.
It will be her first appearance at Melbourne Park since 2021 and the first time she will have competed outside the United States since 2023. Of her seven Grand Slam singles titles, none have come in Melbourne. She’s reached the final twice, in 2003 and 2017, and both times her sister and 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, emerged victorious.
“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said in a statement issued by the Australian Open organisers.
“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,” she added.
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Venus Williams On Cusp Of History
The 45-year-old Venus is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open (AO) main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round of Australian Open 2015.
An Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017, Williams is a five-time Wimbledon champion who also won two US Opens. In addition to her two AO finals, Williams reached the semifinals in 2001 and another six quarterfinals, contributing to her tournament win-loss record of 54-21.
She is also a four-time women’s doubles champion – winning the 2001, 2003, 2009 and 2010 titles alongside sister Serena – and won the mixed doubles title with Justin Gimelstob in 1998.
Comeback Of Venus Williams
After years of health struggles – which Venus Williams documented on social media and said “affected my tennis and the trajectory of my career” – she underwent uterine fibroid surgery in August 2024.
With both her health and quality of life improved, Venus returned to action at the 500-level tournament in Washington DC, her first event in almost 18 months. There, she upstaged world No.35 Peyton Stearns, making her the oldest woman to win a tour-level match since the great Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 2004.
At the US Open, Williams pushed 11th seed Karolina Muchova to three sets in singles before advancing to the doubles quarterfinals alongside Leyleh Fernandez.
Her return to Australia will mark her first singles outing since that prime-time showdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium against the talented Czech, a former world No.8 and Roland Garros finalist.
Williams To Prepare For AO 2026 At Hobart International
Venus Williams, who made an impressive comeback to the sport in July 2025, will prepare for Australian Open 2026 by competing at the ASB Classic in Auckland and the Hobart International, where she received wild-card entries at the WTA 250 events.
She won her 46th of 49 career titles in Auckland, defeating Caroline Wozniacki in 2015. Williams will make her sixth appearance at the event and was a finalist in 2013 and quarterfinalist in 2018.
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