Venus Williams, 45, gets historic Australian Open wild-card entry months after getting married

For the first time in five years, Venus Williams will be back at the Australian Open.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion was given a wild-card entry for the tournament, which is set to begin on Jan. 18.

It was announced by the tournament on social media that Williams, 45, is returning to Melbourne Park for the event.

The women’s doubles quarterfinals with Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez against Taylor Townsend and Katrina Siniaková on day 10 of the 2025 US Open played at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center on September 02, 2025 in Flushing, New York. Annie Wermiel/NY Post

Williams first appeared in the Australian Open in 1998, when she defeated her younger sister, Serena, in the second round before ultimately losing in the quarterfinals to Lindsay Davenport.

Her last appearance in the Australian Open was in 2021. She has lost to Serena twice in the finals in 2003 and 2017.

Williams announced in November that she would be playing at a WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, which is two weeks before the Australian Open.

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

Venus Williams reacts during her match against Karolina Muchova during Night two of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday August 25, 2025 in Queens, New York. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Williams, who holds a 54-21 record at Melbourne Park across her career, is now set to become the oldest woman to compete in the tournament’s main draw, a record previously held by Japanese tennis player Kimiko Date, who was 44 upon losing in the first round in 2015.

The news comes shortly after Williams married actor and model Andrea Preti in a ceremony at Palm Beach, Fla. — three months after the two got hitched in Italy.

“It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day,” the bride, 45, told Vogue in December 2025.

Williams then clarified to the magazine that the reason behind the two weddings was because the couple did not have enough time to finish the paperwork for an official Italian wedding.

“We had this dream to do our wedding in Italy,” she said. “But we didn’t have enough time to do the paperwork — because I’m a foreigner, it can take about eight months. So we decided to have a second wedding.”