Venus Williams lost to Tatjana Maria in the first round at the Hobart International on Tuesday, less than a week before her appearance at the Australian Open.
The 45-year-old Williams received a wild-card entry for the first Grand Slam event of the year. She also had a wild card to play in Hobart, where she lost to sixth-seeded Maria in a match lasting almost 1 1/2 hours. Williams also lost her first-round match at Auckland, New Zealand last week.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, who is 576th in the world rankings, broke 38-year-old Maria’s serve in the opening set. But Williams dropped serve twice, handing the set to Maria, who is 42nd on the WTA rankings.
Tournament officials said the match featured the highest combined age – 83 years – of a singles match in the history of the WTA. “The crowd was amazing. Usually I play a really big game and it´s fun to watch,” Williams said. “I felt I couldn´t play that with the wind. I felt bad I wasn´t able to give that performance I usually give. I was in control until I wasn´t … I just need to keep going and doing that and earn my stripes. I´ve been away a while.”
Maria, who has two children and has won three of her four titles since becoming a mother, hoped the pair could send a message to younger players. “For all the little girls out there … that they have time and can improve and play (for) longer,” she said. “I´m a professional tennis player but I´m also a mom and we have a normal life.”
Williams has made the Australian Open singles final twice – in 2003 and 2017 – losing to her sister Serena both times. The Australian Open begins Sunday. Williams has not played at Melbourne Park for five years and will break the age record held by Kimiko Date, the Japanese player who was 44 when she contested the 2015 Australian Open.
In another first-round result in Hobart, two-time major winner Barbora Krejcíková lost to Peyton Stearns. Krejcíková, ranked 55th and unseeded in Hobart, lost to Stearns 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).