Venus Williams is back at the Australian Open 5 years after her last appearance, 28 after her 1st

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FILE - Venus Williams, of the United States, returns a shot with partner Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, during a quarterfinal doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)

FILE - U.S. tennis player Venus Williams poses for a photo during the 2026 Pirelli calendar launch in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File) — FILE - Venus Williams, of the United States, returns a shot with partner Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, during a quarterfinal doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)

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7:48 PM on Thursday, January 1

The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has received a wild-card entry for the Australian Open beginning Jan. 18 in Melbourne.

The tournament said Friday that the 45-year-old Williams would make a return to Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance. In 1998, she defeated her younger sister Serena in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to fellow American Lindsay Davenport.

Venus had announced in November that she would play in Auckland, New Zealand, where she also received a wild card, two weeks before the Australian Open. The Australian Open said Williams was also entered to play a tournament in Hobart, Australia a week later and just before play begins at Melbourne Park.

She last appeared in Melbourne in 2021 and has finished runner-up in the women’s singles twice, losing to Serena in the finals in 2003 and 2017.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said. “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.”

Williams' record at Melbourne Park is 54 wins and 21 losses. This year will be the 22nd time she has appeared in the main draw.

The tournament said Williams is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.

In late December, Williams married Danish-born model and actor Andrea Preti at Palm Beach, Florida.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis