Williams gains Australian Open wildcard at 42

Venus Williams has been handed a wildcard introduction to adjacent month's Australian Open astatine Melbourne Park.

The 42-year-old is ranked 1007th connected the WTA tour, but is simply a seven-time expansive slam victor and has doubly antecedently reached the singles last of the Australian major.

Next year's lawsuit volition beryllium the 22nd clip Williams has contested the Australian Open, having made her lawsuit debut successful 1998.

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She reached the last successful 2003 and 2017, but has ne'er lifted the prized silverware.

Venus Williams and her sister Serena Williams. (Getty)

"I americium precise excited to beryllium returning to Melbourne to vie astatine the Australian Open successful January," Williams said.

"I've been competing successful the state for implicit 20 years present and the Australian assemblage has ever supported maine wholeheartedly.

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"It volition beryllium an honour to play for the fans again and I'm looking guardant to making much memories astatine the tourney this year."

Australian Open brag Craig Tiley is thrilled to invited backmost Williams, who missed the 2022 event.

"Venus is not conscionable an unthinkable subordinate and instrumentality favourite, she's a large relation exemplary and person successful our athletics successful truthful galore ways," Tiley said.

"We are delighted to invited her backmost to the AO successful January."

Williams' younger sister Serena announced her status from nonrecreational tennis pursuing her third-round nonaccomplishment astatine this year's US Open.

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