MELBOURNE, Australia – Venus Williams has set a record just by starting her first-round match at the Australian Open, a testament to her endurance and longevity at the highest levels of tennis.
On Sunday, she took two service breaks ahead at 4-0 in the third set, and she was so close to underscoring this with a victory.
Olga Danilovic had other ideas and rallied to win six games in a row, beating the 45-year-old, seven-time major winner 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4.
Williams served for 14 1/2 minutes in the penultimate match, determined to stay in the match before finally succumbing to a third break point.
At the age of 45, ranked No. 576 and playing with a wild card, Williams became the oldest player to compete in singles at the Australian Open.
Williams entered the tournament on a five-match losing streak since the first and only victory in her most recent comeback on the tour in Washington last year. She won the first set and was in control of the third until Danilovic went bust at John Cain Arena.
Williams married Italian Andrea Preti in December. She was 17 when she made her first appearance at the Australian Open in 1998, reaching the quarter-finals in just her fourth Grand Slam event.
She has never won the Australian Open. She reached the finals in 2003 and 2017, losing to her sister Serena both times.
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