Venus Williams grateful for Australian Open wildcard

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 : Seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams thanked Australian Open organisers on Saturday for giving her a wildcard that will see the 45-year-old American become the oldest woman ever to compete in the singles main draw.

Williams returned to tennis last season after a 16-month break, winning one of her four tour-level matches before starting 2026 with a first-round defeat by 53rd-ranked Pole Magda Linette as a wildcard at the Auckland Classic last week.

Granted another wildcard for the Hobart International, world number 576 Williams was also eliminated in the first round against 38-year-old German Tatjana Maria, a match featuring players with the highest combined age in WTA history.

"It's been five years since I have been here. They flew by, and I'm super, super grateful for the opportunity from Tennis Australia," Williams told reporters at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

"Grateful for the opportunity to play in front of the fans. I have just received so much support in the tournaments leading up, walking around the city and everything. My hope is to play my best."

The allocation of discretionary wildcards has stoked debate at the Australian Open, with home player Nick Kyrgios in the spotlight before his decision to pull out of the men's singles.

Though a huge drawcard at his home Grand Slam, Kyrgios played only four completed singles matches last season and is ranked outside the top 600.

Organisers subsequently gave 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka a wildcard for the men's singles.

Some fans have questioned whether Williams, who last won a Grand Slam match in 2021, deserves a wildcard ahead of an up-and-coming player but former Grand Slam champions Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters strongly backed the