Venus Williams leaves with her head held high: "I am very proud of my effort because I am playing better in every match"

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Venus Williams gave a true lesson in overcoming obstacles at the 2026 Australian Open. The American player faced criticism when she received a wildcard entry into the singles draw, but the 45-year-old silenced her critics with an outstanding performance that slipped away from her grasp at the last moment.

She had a 4-0 lead in the third set, and everything seemed to indicate a remarkable achievement, but Olga Danilovic staged a comeback. The American faltered as Danilovic won all the remaining games (6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4). Nevertheless, this tough loss did not prevent her from receiving applause and leaving with a smile on her face. She also expressed this joy during the subsequent press conference, where she spoke candidly about the adjustments she still needs to make, the importance of gaining more match experience, and the value of cherishing every moment shared with the audience.

Venus Williams enjoyed despite suffering a tough comeback against Olga Danilovic in the first round of the Australian Open

"It was an incredible match, a very special moment. The energy of the crowd was impressive and it lifted me a lot. She played really well, and there was also some luck involved, which is part of sports. Sometimes it works like that, but it was a wonderful moment."

She seemed in good shape when she was 4-0 ahead in the third set

"At 4-0, I felt good. In fact, it's the biggest advantage I've had since my return. I'm relearning how to do things in many aspects, if that makes sense. I'm very proud of my effort today because I'm playing better in every match, reaching the points I want to achieve. Now, I have to keep moving forward, working on myself, and controlling the mistakes."

Match experience will help her improve her tennis

"All that also comes from playing more matches: positioning my feet correctly, choosing the right shots. These are things I keep learning. It's a bit strange, but at the same time very exciting to have played like this, to put myself in that situation, and come so close."

She remains non-committal about her future

"I'll think about it when it's time to decide what's next for me. Right now, I have doubles here, and that's my focus. Is this my last time at the Australian Open? Right now, I'm fully focused on the tournament. I repeat, my next goal is the doubles, so that's where my head is."

She explains the reason for her big smile as she left the court

"I had to thank the audience. They were with me all the time. They deserved that moment. We deserved it together. It was an incredible journey on the court today," said Venus Williams, who once again proved that age is just a number and that she needs more hours on the court to be competitive and maintain that fire burning inside her.
 

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Venus Williams se va con la cabeza alta: "Estoy muy orgullosa de mi esfuerzo porque estoy jugando mejor en cada partido"