Venus Williams’ Australian Open campaign did not go to plan.
The American star, a winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles, was defeated in the first round by Olga Danilovic after receiving a wildcard for the event.
After splitting the opening two sets, 7-6, 3-6, Venus found herself up 4-0 in the third set, within touching distance of victory.
Unfortunately for fans of the 45-year-old, Venus was unable to close out the contest, losing the next six games consecutively.
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👇
Venus also lost in the first round of the women’s doubles event. Paired with Ekaterina Alexandrova, Venus lost to Elsa Jacquemot and Emiliana Arango in straight sets.
Venus will hope to bounce back from her Melbourne experience at her next tournament, which was confirmed on Wednesday.
Venus Williams receives a wildcard for the ATX Open
A spokesperson for the ATX Open said on Instagram: “Venus Williams is coming to the ATX Open later this month — and we are beyond excited to welcome one of the greatest champions in women’s tennis to Austin.
“7-time Grand Slam singles champion, 49 WTA singles titles, 4-time Olympic gold medalist.
“A global icon. A trailblazer. A legend. Austin, get ready!”
The ATX Open, taking place in Austin, is Texas’ only women’s tour-level tennis tournament. The event, taking place from February 27 to March 5, was last won by Jessica Pegula.
Pegula is back to defend her title in 2026, as is finalist McCartney Kessler. Francesca Jones, Eva Lys and Alja Tomljanovic are also set to compete.
The 2026 edition marks the ATX Open’s fourth installment following its first event in 2023. Marta Kostyuk won the inaugural event, and Yue Yuan claimed the title in 2024.
Fans react to Venus’ ATX Open wildcard
On Instagram, tennis fans expressed their excitement at the news of Venus’ wildcard, with one fan comparing Venus to superstar music artist Beyonce.
Do you think women should play best-of-five set matches?
They said: “Anyone selling tickets? This feels like a Beyonce concert to me now.”
Responding to the news, another fan said: “All single tickets have been sold out. I’m so upset. I was there the entire weekend last year. Will miss this year. Devastated.”
Another fan was ecstatic, adding: “So unbelievably excited! Let’s go ATX OPEN!”
Venus’ participation in the event will certainly aid the tournament’s exposure and popularity moving forward. The American is an icon, whose influence on the sport of tennis is almost unmatched among her peers.
Simply put: the ATX Open have made the right move by handing Venus a wildcard, and other WTA tournaments should take note.
