Venus Williams suffers heartbreaking fightback loss to Olga Danilovic with first Grand Slam win in nearly five years in sight

Venus Williams reached the second round during the Australian Open and Wimbledon back in 2021 which was her last Grand Slam stand when it came to wins and that continues today albeit she had fans dreaming in the final set as she fell 7-6, 3-6, 4-6 in favour of Olga Danilovic at the Australian Open.

Often with Williams comes to age old debate nowadays about whether she still deserves wildcards into tournaments at the ripe age of 45 but she shows time and again whether through packed out arenas or how she plays why she is given such an opportunity.

It was electric as she walked out onto John Cain Arena to soak up the atmosphere. The Aussie crowd safe in the knowledge always that perhaps given her twilight years that it might be her last stand at the tournament and given her legendary status, it always makes it a real event.

She showed age is but a number right from the get go surging into a 2-0 lead with a break of serve and attacking the resolve of the Serbian right from the get go. She was broken straight back though as Danilovic wasn't about to hand her a first Grand Slam triumph in close to five years on a plate. She made it 2-2 and that early break was the only game in which there was during the opening set albeit Williams did have a real chance to seal the opening set early.

Danilovic fell 40-30 behind on her serve aiming to stay in the opener and Williams couldn't take the chance and the Serbian made it 5-5. Williams went one away from the opening set with no break chance apart from the one and only the game before occurring so it went to a tie-break. Danilovic went 2-1 up in the opening stanza but Williams hit the accelerator as she went 5-2 up. She needed three set points though to get it done and make it 1-0.

But Danilovic hit straight back. She broke for 2-0 to open the second set and held serve from there and from there onwards it was pretty comfortable from both sides of the court with no player particularly giving an inch when it came to potential break of serve opportunities.

Danilovic held serve to win it 6-3 and it went to a deciding set but the fans were made to dream as Williams played lights out tennis to begin the decider and surged to 4-0 up. But Danilovic finally resumed from the second set breaking back for 4-1 and as the finishing line and a first win in years in a Grand Slam came around the corner, it was very much a nervy one.

Danilovic held for 4-2 down and then broke again for 4-3 all but erasing Williams advantage and held for 4-4. Then came the game that defined the match as Williams was broken in a 15 minute game. She had seven game points to hold for 5-4 and each time Danilovic found it. Williams found a brilliant first serve to save break point but soon lost it eventually. She went 30-15 up in the next game from 15-0 down as Danilovic was the latest to feel the heat but she levelled it at 30-30 and was serving to go towards match point.

Danilovic sealed it first time to not add another air of jeopardy into proceedings. So close for the legendary American who leaves the Australian Open though showing why she is given such a status as not only a legend of the sport but someone who can still produce thrilling matches.

Danilovic now moves on to face the winner of Coco Gauff and Kamilla Rakhimova with Hailey Baptiste likely lurking for Gauff in the Last 16.