Venus Williams’ Epic Bid Falls Short in Melbourne

Under the humid night sky of John Cain Arena, Venus Williams stepped into the spotlight on January 18, 2026, becoming the oldest woman to contest a main-draw singles match at the Australian Open. At 45 and ranked 576, she faced a formidable gap against No. 68 Olga Danilovic, the 24-year-old left-hander whose game thrives on these medium-paced hard courts. Williams, in her 22nd appearance here—the most among active Open Era players—aimed to channel her seven-time Grand Slam pedigree into a fight that transcended the scoreboard.

The American surged early, breaking Danilovic with a deep inside-out forehand that pinned the Serb wide, grabbing a 2-0 lead as her flat serves skidded low off the Plexicushion. Danilovic leveled with crosscourt angles that stretched Williams side to side, her lefty spin disrupting the rhythm on a surface that punishes loose shots. In the tiebreak, after saving a set point at 5-4 and two more, Williams fired a down-the-line forehand winner to claim the opener 7-6(5), the crowd’s energy crackling with belief in her vintage fire.

Age is but a number, kinda like 7-6(5)...

Venus Williams winds back the clock to take an absorbing first set off Olga Danilovic!@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/HoXbe2TSyr

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2026

First set triumph ignites crowd fervor

The roar from the stands amplified Williams’ psychological edge, her heavy topspin forehands landing like precise strikes on the baseline, a nod to the unyielding spirit that has defined her career. This wasn’t mere survival; it was a defiant push against two decades of age difference, evoking memories of her dominant runs on these courts. Danilovic, fresh from qualifiers, absorbed the pressure, her flat backhand slicing through to force errors as the match headed into uncharted territory for the veteran.

Williams carried the weight of seeking her first Grand Slam main-draw win since Wimbledon 2021, every rally a test of her off-season grind against skeptics. The narrative of perseverance hung heavy, but Danilovic remained unburdened, breaking early in the second set with a sharp one–two pattern—serve into a low-skidding underspin slice—that drew a short reply from the American. Holding firm with deeper returns, the Serb pocketed the set 6-3, flipping the momentum and exposing faint cracks in Williams’ movement after an hour of combat.

Decider double break tests resolve

In the third, Williams exploded forward, her serve-volley combinations pinning Danilovic back and securing a double break for 4-0, the arena pulsing with chants as fans sensed a historic upset. Poised to surpass Kimiko Date-Krumm’s 2013 record as the oldest Australian Open singles winner at 42, she seemed to bend time itself with looping topspin that climbed high off the court. Yet Danilovic’s lefty angles sharpened, an inside-in forehand clipping the sideline to spark four straight games, leveling at 4-4 as the two-hour mark approached.

The ninth game stretched over 14 minutes, a grueling affair where Williams saved two break points with booming serves and net rushes, her volleys whipping past desperate lunges. Danilovic repelled six game points, threading passing shots down the line before converting her third chance with a crosscourt winner that shifted the tide palpably. Serving for the match at 5-4, the Serb rallied from 15-30, claiming two extended exchanges—one with a deft passing shot, the other a reflex volley—to reach match point, where Williams’ forehand floated wide, sealing the 6-4 finish after two hours and 17 minutes.

Legacy endures amid Melbourne’s roar

Danilovic advanced to the second round for the third time in her career, setting up a potential clash with third-seeded Coco Gauff or Kamilla Rakhimova, her tactical poise on these bounces a quiet affirmation of her rising trajectory. For Williams, the narrow defeat amplified the mental fortitude needed to return at 45, her preparation a testament to battles won off the court. She shifts to doubles later in the week alongside Ekaterina Alexandrova, eyeing a fifth Australian Open title in the discipline—four previously with sister Serena—while the tournament’s electric narrative promises more defiant stories as 2026 unfolds.