Australian Open: Venus shows vintage flashes in nearly-there defeat

The 45-year-old stood two games away from her first Grand Slam singles win in five years but falters

Mumbai: The Australian Open has gone somewhat retro in the early days of its 2026 album.

Serbia’s Olga Danilovic (L) shakes hands with USA's Venus Williams after their women's singles match. (AFP)

In which Roger Federer, flaunting those signature one-handed backhands as if still in authority, mesmerized global fans while playing exhibition matches in his return to Melbourne Park after six years.

And in which Venus Williams, in her return after five years, unleashed those trademark two-handed backhands with the extended low backswing to land within touching distance of a vintage victory.

Not in an exhibition, but an actual match.

As the oldest woman to feature in an Australian Open singles main draw, the 45-year-old American stood two games away from her first Grand Slam singles win in five years.

Until Olga Danilovic roared back to startle the record-setter. The Serbian took six straight games from 4-0 down in the third set to win the high-quality and dramatic Round 1 match 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday.

Glimpses of that were on display early doors, when Williams cracked a backhand return winner in her first receiving game. Then came a forehand bullet to end a baseline tussle, and then a backhand down-the-line winner to the open court that she had carved out with movement defying her age.

Williams was up an early break, and running alright.

The Serbian broke right back as the American’s serve felt the pressure. Danilovic’s usual crosscourt game fell into Williams’s hands, and her 45-year-old legs weren’t giving in. She set up a set point with a combination of a backhand that kissed the sideline followed by a forehand winner moving in. Williams couldn’t wrap up the set then but eventually did in the tie-breaker.

Danilovic came out a different player after a little self-talk in the bathroom break, and ran away with the second set. It was Williams’s turn to run in the decider, sprinting to a 4-0 lead while an error-prone Danilovic appeared dazed.

The 24-year-old woke up just in time, punishing the feeble Williams second serves again to level up at 4-4. Then came the critical 14-and-a-half minute ninth game where Williams saw six game points come and go. Danilovic needed only the second break point opportunity to take the game and soon the match.

At 45, Williams certainly isn’t the same player that won her first Australian Open match at 17. There’s still enough there, though, to sporadically challenge the current crop.

At the 2025 US Open, she took 11th seed Karolina Muchova to the distance. At the 2026 Australian Open, against the world No.69, the former world No.1 and current No.578 was almost at the finish line.

“It’s the biggest lead I’ve had since I’ve been back,” she said, smiling, of the 4-0 opportunity. “In a lot of ways I’m having to relearn how to do things again, if that makes any sense.”

Relearn, at 45, for a seven-time singles and 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Straightforward starts for Alcaraz, Sabalenka

Away from the retro, the current world No.1s got off to a fairly straightforward start. Carlos Alcaraz had a 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2 win over local face Adam Walton. Aryna Sabalenka started slowly against French Rakotomanga Rajaonah before picking up for a 6-4, 6-1 result.