Appearing in the first round of the Australian Open 2026, Venus Williams faced young player Olga Danilovic. Although no longer at the peak of her form, the former world No. 1 still showed strong fighting spirit and rich experience. Venus confidently entered the game, continuously putting pressure and pulling the opponent into a tie-break in the first set, before losing narrowly with a score of 6-7.
In set 2, the American player quickly regained control of the game. The ability to control the ball with certainty and reasonable net attacks helped Venus win 6-3, thereby equalizing the score and rekindling hopes of going further. Entering the decisive set, Venus even went very close to victory when leading 4-0 and breaking Danilovic's serve game twice.
However, at a crucial moment, the young Serbian player rallied strongly. Danilovic won 6 games in a row to complete the comeback, closing the match with a final score of 6-7; 6-3; 6-4. Although stopping right in the first round, Venus Williams still received great praise from the audience for her persistent fighting spirit and rare dedication at the age of 45.
Sharing after the match, Venus said that leading 4-0 in the final set gave her a very positive feeling, and admitted that she is still in the process of adapting and perfecting after returning to competition. The veteran tennis player emphasized that her goal is to improve through each match and focus on herself.
At the Australian Open 2026, Venus Williams will continue to participate in the women's doubles event, when pairing with Ekaterina Alexandrova (Russia). With a illustrious career including 7 Grand Slam singles titles, 49 WTA Tour championships and a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Venus Williams is still a persistent symbol of women's tennis in the world.
