Venus Williams walked off the court smiling after her first-round loss to Olga Danilovic at the Australian Open.
Following the loss, Williams paused to acknowledge the crowd before leaving the court, later explaining why the moment mattered to her:
“I had to appreciate the crowd,” Venus Williams said. “They were right there with me. They deserved that moment. We deserved that moment together.”
The match marked a milestone. At 45 years old, Williams became the oldest woman ever to compete in the Australian Open singles main draw, returning to Melbourne for the first time since 2021.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has given nearly three decades to professional tennis, and moments like this one show us why her presence still resonates. It was easy to see how much joy the sport still brings her, regardless of the result.
