Venus Williams makes Australian Open history, falters late in loss
MELBOURNE, Australia — Venus Williams set a record just by starting her first-round match at the Australian Open, a testament to her endurance and longevity at the highest level of tennis.
Ahead by two breaks of serve at 4-0 in the third set on Sunday, she was also set to underline that with a victory.
Olga Danilovic had other ideas, rallying to win six straight matches and beat the 45-year-old, a seven-time major winner 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4.
Williams served for 14 and a half minutes in the penultimate game, determined to stay in the match before finally succumbing to a third break point.
At 45, ranked No. 576 and playing on a wild card, Williams became the oldest player to compete in singles at the Australian Open.
Williams entered the tournament on a five-match losing streak dating back to the first and only victory in her most recent return to the tour in Washington last year. She won the first set and took command of the third until Danilovic went broke at John Cain Arena.
Williams married Italian Andrea Preti in December. She was 17 when she first played at the Australian Open in 1998, reaching the quarterfinals in her fourth Grand Slam event.
She has never won the Australian Open. She reached the final in 2003 and 2017 and lost both times to her sister Serena.
