Venus Williams made history at the Australian Open

The American tennis legend continues to compete professionally at the age of 45.

Venus Williams has entered the record books at the Australian Open by becoming the oldest player to compete in the women’s singles of the year’s first Grand Slam. Appearing in the first round in Melbourne at age 45, Serena Williams’ sister surprised fans with her determined performance and enduring fighting spirit.

In the match against Olga Danilovic on January 18 (Vietnam time), Venus started strong and consistently pressured her opponent. Although she lost the first set in a tiebreak 6-7, the American quickly regained control in the second set, winning 6-3 thanks to solid shot placement and effective net play.

In the deciding set, Venus came very close to victory, leading 4-0 and breaking Danilovic’s serve twice. However, the girlfriend of goalkeeper Jan Oblak fought back fiercely, winning six consecutive games to complete a comeback with a final score of 6-7; 6-3; 6-4.

"When I was up 4-0, I felt really good. That was the biggest advantage I’ve had since my return. Anyway, I have to relearn how to do everything,"Venus Williams said. "Queen V" also emphasized her current goal is to keep improving after each match, focusing on herself and minimizing mistakes. The veteran player will continue competing in doubles at the tournament, partnering with Ekaterina Alexandrova from Russia.

At 45 years old, Venus Williams is a global women’s tennis icon who has been ranked number one in both singles and doubles on the WTA tour. Throughout her illustrious career, she has won 49 WTA singles titles, including 7 Grand Slam championships, and earned the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.