New Delhi: Venus Williams lost in the first round at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sundays night, but she did win billions of hearts around the globe for sure.
Attempting to become the oldest woman at 45 to win a round in the main draw, Venus fought hard.
The old flame flickered, there was glow and some shot production which reminded old-timers of a bygone era when Venus was the queen.
Lest critics say Venus failed, do not just look at the scoreline. The loss in a three -setter to Serbia’s Olga Danilovic was definitely a match which showed Venus wanted to prove she is still ready for a fight.
Perhaps, rust and age, combined, took a toll on Venus against a player who was 21 years younger. Gosh, this was a generational gap of sorts.
Venus entered the John Cain Arena with her traditional wave and then played as well as she could.
Considering that the opening day’s programme featured the big stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, for Venus Williams to be accorded an evening slot in the warm Melbourne night was special. Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus was returning to the season’s first Grand Slam after five years.
There was uncertainty and emotion, yet, on court, Venus showed no signs of pressure or nerves. She had nothing to lose really.
Having avoided so much tennis in the 2025 season, for Venus to show up this time was big. What got her into the act and how she found motivation is mind boggling. The two-hour-17 minute contest was a treat for those who love romantic relics.
Venus was being captured on cameras as well as cell phones. There was so much she could do despite the absence of big match practice for a long time. Yet, if you look at match stats, Venus was not outplayed.
The end may have been a bit chaotic as she dropped six games in a row.
Ranked 576, Venus as a wild card showed she can still match younger opponents.
For those who see sports as nostalgia and not cold results, even Olga Danilovic would have enjoyed time spent on court against a legend. If there is one aspect where Venus lagged, it was the unforced errors.
Yet, a three-set contest was worth it. “It was such a great game, such a great moment,” said Venus Williams later.
“The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much. She played a great game. Also some luck there, as well. That’s just the sport. That’s how it works sometimes.”
As Venus left the arena, the audience cheered for her.
“I’m really proud of my effort today because I’m playing better with each match, getting to the places that I want to get to,” she said. “Right now, I’m just going to have to keep going forward and working on myself and working to control my errors. Those are things, too, that come with playing extra matches, like getting your feet in the exact right position, choosing the right shots, all of those things that I’m still learning,” added Venus.