Venus Williams highlights key disadvantage after Auckland defeat

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Venus Williams’ time at the 2026 Auckland Classic has come to a close.

The 45-year-old, who returned to the Tour last season, was knocked out by fifth seed Magda Linette in a three-set battle, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Williams’ exit from the singles draw followed her mixed doubles defeat on Monday morning to Alexandra Eala and Iva Jovic.

Still, Williams has every reason to hold her head high – once again showing she can still hold her own against top-tier competition on the WTA Tour.

Venus Williams admits she is still short on match sharpness

“I think my opponent [Linette], she played amazing. Definitely deserved the win,” Williams told the ASB Classic.

“She hung in there and I definitely felt like I had opportunities, which is great news for me, and I was able to put myself in a great position every game, almost to be able to convert.”

Williams went on to say that her main priority this early in the season was building rhythm and fitness ahead of the Australian Open.

“One of the biggest disadvantages for me is that everybody’s played more matches than I have,” she explained. “So when the season starts like it does in tennis, and the first thing is a Grand Slam, then you got to come out hot, and I think I did come out hot.

Williams has played five singles matches and eight doubles matches since making her return at the 2025 Washington Open.

Linette’s schedule over that time has been a bit busier: 13 singles matches and six doubles contests since August 2025.

The Australian Open wildcard announcement means Williams will be heading straight into another high-profile challenge. Last Friday, she was awarded the eighth and final spot for this year’s Women’s Singles tournament at Melbourne Park.

Venus Williams not yet match-fit for return to tennis

Venus Williams has been given a place in the Australian Open by the organisers. It’s now up to her to show she can make the most of it.

The 45-year-old will be hoping for a decent first-round draw. Without a seeding, there’s always a risk she could come up against one of the top names early on.

Even at this stage, it’s clear Venus still has enough quality to trouble strong players. That much was evident again on Tuesday.

If she draws someone like Aryna Sabalenka, making a deep run becomes far less likely. But with the right draw, there’s no reason why Venus couldn’t put together an interesting campaign.