Venus Williams delivers encouraging return in Auckland ahead of Australian Open

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was eliminated in her return to competition at the ASB Classic Auckland, falling 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 to Magda Linette. The former world No. 1 delivered a solid performance overall but faded in the latter stages of the match, where Linette asserted her status as the favourite.

Williams had made her previous appearance five months earlier at the US Open, where she pushed 11th seed Karolina Muchova to three sets. Once again, she was not intimidated by the ranking difference and engaged in a tightly contested battle from start to finish.

Williams leaves Auckland with first-round losses in both singles and doubles, the latter alongside Elina Svitolina. Despite the results, the 45-year-old showed that she still has the physical capacity to compete at a high level, along with the talent that made her one of the most emblematic figures in women’s tennis.

Williams applied early pressure and created problems for Linette at the start, but failed to convert her first break point opportunity with a 2-1 lead. The Pole responded by taking control, capitalising on unforced errors from Williams and securing two consecutive breaks — winning four games in a row — to move ahead 5-2.

Linette missed a set point on return and faced some pressure when serving for the set, but ultimately managed to close it out 6-4, holding her nerve despite resistance from Williams.

Williams showed no loss of spirit at the beginning of the second set, holding serve comfortably and stringing together several consecutive service games without hesitation. The former world No. 1 earned a break to take a 4-2 lead, putting Linette under pressure once again.

However, Linette responded immediately by breaking back in the following game, levelling the score at 4-4. Williams handled the tension of the closing stages well, taking risks on Linette’s first serve and forcing errors on return. ‘Queen V’ capitalised on her opportunity and claimed the set 6-4, with the match already surpassing the one-and-a-half-hour mark.

The opening of the third set suggested a wide-open contest, with Williams aware that she had a genuine chance to secure the victory. However, a backhand unforced error from Williams handed Linette the first break of the set, allowing the Pole to regain confidence after a challenging period.

From that moment, the match began to tilt in Linette’s favour. The current world No. 52 significantly reduced her first-serve errors and held her remaining service games with authority, often without extended rallies. Williams began to struggle physically, and a double fault eventually cost her a second break.

Linette maintained her composure and closed out the victory 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, advancing to the second round in Auckland.

Williams leaves the tournament having demonstrated her ability to sustain a high competitive tempo in a match decided over three demanding sets, along with her trademark power, which allowed her to overwhelm her opponent in several exchanges. The 45-year-old American still has the tools to compete on tour and continue performing at a high level.

Williams’ next scheduled appearance is the Hobart International next week, where she has received a wildcard. The entry list includes Elise Mertens, Emma Raducanu, and Barbora Krejcikova. One week later, Williams is set to make her long-awaited return to the Australian Open, five years after her last appearance in Melbourne.