Marriage has not slowed Venus Williams. At 45, the tennis icon will return to the Australian Open in 2026, becoming the oldest woman to compete in the tournament’s main draw, just weeks after tying the knot with Italian Andrea Pretti.
Tournament organizers have awarded Williams the final wildcard for the women’s singles, with play beginning on January 18. Her most recent appearance at Melbourne Park came in 2021, when she exited in the second round after a loss to Italy’s Sara Errani.