Venus Williams received a discretionary wildcard into the 2026 Australian Open singles main draw as she will return to the first Grand Slam of the year for the first time since 2021. At 45, she’ll become the oldest competitor to play in Melbourne ever.
The return of the seven-time Grand Slam champion in Melbourne Park has come with questions. Some have questioned whether she deserves the wild-card in the first place, given that it could have gone to a young competitor instead.
Among those who believe that Williams didn’t have enough “runs on the board” to earn the wild-card spot is former ATP pro John Millman. The former tennis star acknowledged Williams’ pedigree, but is in favor of giving the wild-card to young Australian tennis players.
“Absolute legend of the game,” Millman said on the Nine broadcast. “I think with wildcards, though, I think one of our younger ones maybe should have been given the nod. I’m a big advocate for young Australian tennis [players]. She didn’t have as many matches last year. I would have liked to see her have a few more matches and runs on the board before she plays here.”
Venus Williams’ early exit at the ASB Classic in Auckland has re-ignited the discussion. Even at the Hobart International, she was eliminated in the first round against 38-year-old German Tatjana Maria. She returned in the 2025 DC Open after a 16-month absence from the tour.
However, former tennis professionals like Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters have welcomed the decision to award Williams a wild card.
“People are like, ‘She didn’t qualify for the tournament. And I feel like every time she gets a wild card, it’s the same conversation. And then you have people like me going, ‘She’s Venus Williams. Is anything changed?’ I feel like we had this conversation before the US Open, and people are acting like it’s shocking again,” Roddick said on Served.
“A wild card is given to someone undeserving based on ranking. She’s not taking a spot from someone who earned it based on the cutoff. Same with Stan,” he said. “No one who gets a wild card is deserving of a main draw spot—otherwise, they’d be in it. Are they potentially getting a wild card over someone who’s an up-and-comer? Sure. But who deserves that spot more? I might argue it’s the person who’s won Wimbledon five times.”
Venus Williams Filled With Gratitude After Receiving Wild Card At AO 2026
Venus Williams expressed her gratitude to the Australian Open organizers for allowing her to play in Melbourne.
“It’s been five years since I have been here. They flew by, and I’m super, super grateful for the opportunity from Tennis Australia,” Williams told reporters on Saturday. “Grateful for the opportunity to play in front of the fans. I have just received so much support in the tournaments leading up, walking around the city and everything. My hope is to play my best.”
It remains to be seen if Williams can turn heads with her performance at the Australian Open. She is slated to face Olga Danilović in the first round.
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