Venus Williams has been urged to retire and stop taking opportunities from younger players after losing her first match at the Australian Open on Sunday night.
The 45-year-old is adamant she is still getting better with every match despite ruining a golden opportunity to claim her first win at Melbourne Park in five years.
Seven-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Open finalist Williams was handed a wildcard, becoming the oldest ever women’s player in the tournament’s main draw.
She held a 4-0 third-set lead over 24-year-old Serb Olga Danilovic but lost the next six games to go down 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 and exit in the first round.
Williams won plenty of praise from fans after the match, but a sizeable number of viewers also accused her of being selfish for taking a wildcard spot that could’ve gone to a younger player who needed the opportunity more.
‘Selfish, she’s taking the wildcard off someone who could really do with the exposure/money. She has had her time. Retire with dignity,’ one wrote on X.
Venus Williams lost to Olga Danilovic 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 in the first round at the Australian Open on Sunday night (pictured)
The 45-year-old was proud of her play in the defeat, but some tennis fans were not impressed
Williams was urged to retire and stop taking opportunities away from younger players after she got a wildcard entry to the Grand Slam
‘My gosh RETIRE just unbelievable waste of a spot for a younger player to compete,’ added a second.
‘How about giving the sport a chance to see new talent. She is 3-16 in the last three years and lost 7 straight. She has millions in the bank, the $150K she “earned” would be meaningful to a younger player on the grind,’ a third commenter wrote.
‘Be good if she earned it. Federer would still win grand slam matches but he has the dignity not to take wildcards from 20yo players,’ another said.
Williams was all smiles after the match as she explained why she was proud of her play in the defeat.
‘I felt good. Also it’s the biggest lead I’ve had since I’ve been back,’ she said.
‘In a lot of ways, I’m having to relearn how to do things again, if that makes any sense.
‘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.
‘It’s kind of weird, but it’s super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in that position and come very close.’
Williams became the oldest player to ever compete in the Australian Open main draw
This fan claimed Roger Federer – who is 44 years old – would not follow Williams’ example and take a spot away from a younger star
An emotional Danilovic pounded her chest in celebration after sealing her epic comeback victory over a tennis legend.
‘These things don’t happen every day and playing against Venus Williams is something I cannot take for granted,’ Danilovic said.
‘But there was a lot of nerves. At 4-0 I just said to myself, ‘OK, just play. Just take everything out and just play point by point’, and I’m very happy I managed to get this one.
‘But it was such a pleasure playing against such a legend.’
World No.69 Danilovic will next face either world No.3 Coco Gauff or Uzbek Kamilla Rakhimova.
Crowd favourite Williams went up 5-4 then teed up a set point on Danilovic’s serve with a vicious forehand winner – but the Serb saved it and took the set to a tiebreak.
The American claimed victory in the tiebreak, to the crowd’s delight.
Danilovic composed herself and raced away to claim the second set, before Williams ruthlessly clubbed her way to a 4-0 lead in the decider.
But she let Danilovic back into the match.
Williams’ service game at 4-4 dragged on for more than 14 minutes before Danilovic broke, then successfully served for the match.
As Williams bowed out, she smiled graciously as the adoring crowd applauded her.
‘I had to appreciate the crowd. They were right there with me. They deserved that moment. We deserved that moment together, so…’ she said.
‘It was an amazing journey on the court today.’
Williams will now turn her focus to doubles with Ekaterina Alexandrova.
