Legendary! Venus Williams returns to top-level tennis in pursuit of a new record

Age is no barrier.

Details: Today, the ASBClassic Instagram page announced that 45-year-old American Venus Williams will be returning to the professional WTA tour.

Reports indicate that Williams will step back onto the court in the first half of 2026 at the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland. Williams has already played five WTA tournaments in this city, adding an extra layer of drama to her much-anticipated return.

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This will be Venus' 33rd season at the top level, making her one of the oldest players on the WTA Tour. At the moment, Venus Williams is ranked 570th in the WTA standings.

Venus last played at the Australian Grand Slam in 2021, where she exited in the second round. Her most recent appearance at any tournament was at the 2025 US Open, where she fell to Karolina Muchova in the first round.

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