Venus Williams was unable to navigate her way past Tatjana Maria at the Hobart International on Tuesday.
Maria, the oldest winner of a WTA 500 title, defeated 45-year-old Williams 6-4, 6-3 in Tasmania, setting up a second round contest against Anna Bondar.
As for Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion will turn her attention to the Australian Open after receiving a wildcard for the event.
It’s the end of the 2026 season… How many matches has Venus Williams won this year? Where is she ranked? Let us know in the comments👇
Williams’ return to the sport has been quite extraordinary, despite losing to Maria on Tuesday; the American should be proud of her efforts since returning to competitive play last July.
And on Tuesday, Williams had yet another reason to be proud.
Venus Williams and Tatjana Maria’s match was the oldest WTA main draw contest in history
Venus Williams and Tatjana Maria are two of the most senior figures still competing on the WTA Tour.
Williams has been playing on the Tour for almost 32 years; she made her debut as a 14-year-old at the 1994 Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, California.
Maria, 38, made her WTA Tour debut at the 2006 Luxembourg Open, meaning she has played on the professional circuit for almost 20 years.
As per OptaAce, the combined age of 84 years and 1 day between Venus Williams and Tatjana Maria is the oldest between two opponents in a WTA-level main draw match since the WTA was founded in 1973.
After winning the contest on Tuesday, Maria had some kind words for Williams.
In her on-court interview, the German said: “Everybody loves Venus – I love her too!”
“My daughters are a fan of Venus, so it was tough. They said they are for me but…
“Charlotte was so happy – the first reaction was ‘oh my god, that’s so amazing, I’m going to see Venus against you’. She was super happy.
“We live across the street, we are neighbours, I know her really well.
If you were in charge of tennis, what is the first rule you would change?
“To play her was such an honour because I never played her before.”
How will Venus Williams fare at the Australian Open?
For Williams, playing at the 2026 Australian Open represents yet another chance to prove she is still worthy of competing at the highest level on the Tour.
Williams may be at a disadvantage due to a lack of match practice. However, this factor has not prevented her from causing major upsets on the Tour.
On her return to the sport in July 2025, Williams stunned world number 42 Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open.
However, there is some cause for concern; Williams has now lost four consecutive WTA singles matches, dating back to the 2025 Cincinnati Masters, which took place last August.
