Venus Williams’ Australian Open comeback ended in the first round. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was chasing the one title that eluded her. If you’ve come for a one-word answer – NO, Williams won’t be retiring, despite her dream coming crashing down against Olga Danilovic. While the 45-year-old veteran hasn’t relived her greatest glory in recent years, she never really quit the sport, if you think about it. She was honest in her post-match press conference.

“At 4-0, I felt good,” Williams said of the AO result. “It’s the biggest lead I’ve had since I’ve been back. 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 and getting to the places that I want to get to.”

“Right now, I’m going to keep going forward and working on myself and working to control my errors,” the oldest WTA star at Melbourne Park said. “Those are things too that come with playing extra matches. Like, getting your feet in the exact right position and choosing the right shots and all those things that I’m still learning. It’s kind of weird. But it’s super exciting to have played that well and to get myself in position and come very close.”

During the match, Olga Danilovic flipped the script in stunning fashion. She stormed back to win six straight games and sealed it 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. The battle turned intense when Venus Williams dug deep in a 14 1/2 minute service game, refusing to fold. But Danilovic broke for the third time to close out the match.

At 45, Venus is fighting a different battle now, one of resilience and rediscovery. After more than a year away from the tour, she returned at the Washington Open in July 2025. She opened with a win over Peyton Stearns but has struggled to sustain momentum, dropping her next six tour-level matches.

That stretch included first-round exits at both the US Open and Australian Open. Even then, she played with spirit and fire, competing despite being ranked No. 576 in the world. Both wildcard runs went the distance. Flashes of old brilliance showed, especially in that electric first set under the lights on Sunday.

Despite the loss at John Cain Arena, fans were thrilled to see glimpses of the Venus Williams they remember.

Danilovic confesses to being intimidated by Venus Williams

It wasn’t a shock that the Serbian star, ranked world No. 69, came in locked and loaded. Venus Williams has ruled the courts for more than two decades, and even though she hasn’t lifted a trophy since her latest comeback, the former world No. 1 in singles and doubles remains a name no one dares to underestimate.

So how did Danilovic pull off this stunning win after dropping the opening set? The answer came straight from her after the match.

“Playing against Venus Williams is something that I cannot take for granted, but there was a lot of nerves,” Danilovic admitted. “I mean, on 4-0, I said to myself, ‘Just play, just take everything out and just play point by point.’ And yeah, I’m very happy I managed to get this one, but it was such a pleasure playing against such a legend.”

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Danilovic started hitting with freedom once she found her groove in the second set. She returned better, kept Williams on the move, and seized control to take the set 6-3. That shift was all she needed to swing the momentum her way.

The final set was full of fireworks. Williams sprinted ahead 4-0, looking ready to wrap things up, but Danilovic refused to fold. She steadied, fought for every ball, and clawed her way back.

The night’s real drama unfolded in a gripping battle at 4-4. The 45-year-old veteran had seven game points but couldn’t close. Danilovic hung tough, broke through, and then held serve to finish 6-4, sealing a comeback that no one saw coming.

“Move your legs, move your hands, that’s the only thing I was saying to myself,” Danilovic said. “She was serving incredible, honestly. Of course we all know, but in these important moments, she was serving so good. I couldn’t do anything. If she’s going to play like that, I give the hand, and that’s it. I tried to keep myself calm and it worked.”

Next up, the Serbian star will face Coco Gauff. Can she carry the same mindset that got her past Williams?