Venus Williams, 45, gets wild card to play first Australian Open in five years | Venus Williams

Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has received a wild card into the Australian Open which begins on January 18 in Melbourne.

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

Venus 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 registered to play a tournament in Hobart, Australia, a week later and just before play began at Melbourne Park.

She last appeared in Melbourne in 2021 and finished second in the women’s singles twice, losing to Serena in the final in 2003 and 2017.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing in the Australian summer,” Williams said. “I had so many incredible memories there and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that 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 indicates that Williams is set to become the oldest woman to appear in the main draw of the Australian Open, 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 in Palm Beach, Florida.