(January 18, 2026) Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams came within two games of winning her first-round match at the 2026 Australian Open in John Cain in Melbourne Park on Sunday. The 45-year-old Williams, coming into the tournament as a wildcard, held a 4-0 lead over the 24-year-old Serb Olga Danilovic in the third set but lost the next six games to fall 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4. The Australian Open is the first tennis major of the year.
Despite the loss, the 576th-ranked Williams became the oldest ever women’s player in the main draw of the Australian Open, beating the 2015 record of Kimiko Date, who was 44, losing in the first round.
“I told myself before the match I really want to take this moment,” Danilovic said. “These things don’t happen every day and playing against Venus Williams is something I cannot take for granted.
The key game in the match came in the ninth game of the third set with Williams serving at 4-4. A 14-and-a-half-minute struggle between the combatants, which the Serb broke serve.
“But there was a lot of nerves,” admitted the Serb. “At 4-0 I just said to myself, ‘OK, just play. Just take everything out and just play point by point’, and I’m very happy I managed to get this one.
“But it was such a pleasure playing against such a legend.”
“Yeah, at 4-love I felt good,” said Williams. “Also, it’s the biggest lead I’ve had since I’ve been back,” Williams explained. “In a lot of ways I’m having to relearn how to do things again, if that makes any sense.”
“It was an amazing journey on the court today,” said Williams, who left the court smiling and waving.
“I’m really proud of my effort today because I’m playing better with each match, getting to the places that I want to get to,” Williams said. “Right now, I’m just going to have to keep going forward and working on myself and working to control my errors.
“Those are things, too, that come with playing extra matches, all of those things that I’m still learning. It’s kind of weird, but it’s super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in that position and come very close.”
“It was such a great game, such a great moment,” Williams added. “The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much,” Williams said of that penultimate game on her serve. “She played a great game. Also, some luck there, as well. That’s just the sport. That’s how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment.”
The recently married Williams made her Australian Open debut at 17 in 1998, reaching the quarterfinals. This was her 22nd Australian Open. She reached the finals in 2003 and 2017, losing to her sister Serena both times.
Williams’ tournament is not over yet; she’ll be in the women’s doubles draw. “Right now I’m very much in the tournament,” she said. “My next focus is the doubles. So that’s where my head is.”
“I’m really proud of my effort today because I’m playing better with each match, getting to the places that I want to get to.
“Right now I’m just going to have to keep going forward and working on myself and working to control my errors. Those are things, too, that come with playing extra matches, like getting your feet in the exact right position, choosing the right shots, all of those things that I’m still learning.
“It’s kind of weird, but it’s super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in that position and come very close.”
For Danilovic, she has a potential second-round meeting with No.3 seed Coco Gauff.
“Yeah, at 4-love I felt good. Also, it’s the biggest lead I’ve had since I’ve been back,” Williams said. “In a lot of ways I’m having to relearn how to do things again, if that makes any sense.”
The top seeds, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, both won in the night session in Rod Laver Arena.
No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev, last year’s losing finalist, came back from a set down to beat Gabriel Diallo 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the second round at Melbourne Park for the 10th straight year.
Seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini and No. 12 Elina Svitolina moved on.
Columbia University senior Michael Zheng held off Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0), 6-3. NCAA standout Zheng, a qualifier, was making his main draw debut on the tennis tour. The American will play face No. 32 seed Corentin Moutet, who was booed after winning his match on an underhand serve 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3 over Tristan Schoolkate.
Two of the women’s seeds were toppled on the opening day of the first major of the year – No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 20 Marta Kostyuk.
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew because of a shoulder injury before her scheduled first-round match, which gave a Lucky Loser spot in the main draw to Taylor Townsend. In an over 2 1/2-hour battle, Hailey Baptiste won 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3.
Australian Open Day 2 Order of play.
