"Tried to just look at this yellow ball and move my hand, move my legs": Olga Danilovic couldn't look at Venus WIlliams due to nerves in final set epic

Olga Danilović produced one of the standout moments of the 2026 Australian Open on Day One no less, fighting back from a set and 4–0 down in the decider to defeat Venus Williams 6–7, 6–3, 6–4 in a gripping late-night clash on John Cain Arena.

Facing the 45-year-old legend she had admired throughout her career, the Serbian admitted the occasion was overwhelming from the moment she stepped onto court.

“Not easy,” Danilović said when asked what it was like seeing Williams across the net for the first time. “When we were walking there, I tried to… I told myself before the match that I really wanted to take this moment. I cannot say enjoy, because it’s tough to enjoy at the moment on court. But these things don’t happen every day, and playing against Venus Williams is something that I cannot take for granted.”

The nerves were evident early. After narrowly losing the opening set, Danilović found herself overwhelmed at the start of the deciding set, falling behind 4–0 against a player renowned for her ability to close out matches on the biggest stages. “There were a lot of nerves,” she admitted. “I mean, at 4–0 I just said to myself, ‘OK, just play. Just take everything out and play point by point.’”

That mindset shift proved decisive. Danilović began to loosen up, striking freely from the baseline and refusing to be drawn into the magnitude of the moment. “I’m very happy I managed to get this one,” she said, “but it was such a pleasure playing against such a legend.”

Her turnaround began earlier, during a bathroom break after the first set, where she reset mentally rather than tactically. “I looked at myself in the mirror and I said, ‘OK, take the tennis apart.’ I told myself I love myself, and I want to be there for myself — like, be a friend,” she explained. “So I came back on court and tried to put my head high and just go for it.”

That approach carried her through a strong second set and into a final set that, despite a difficult start, eventually swung in her favour. “The second set was good, obviously, but then the third set didn’t start so well,” she said. “But I just kept reminding myself, and I think it worked.”

While Williams’ presence and composure could easily have added to the pressure, Danilović deliberately avoided looking too closely at the other end of the court. “I tried not to, because I think that gets you nerves,” she said. “So I tried to just look at this yellow ball and move my hand, move my legs.”

The atmosphere inside John Cain Arena only heightened the drama. Although the majority of the crowd was backing the seven-time Grand Slam champion, Danilović drew strength from the vocal Serbian support in the stands. “Obviously more people were for her, but I saw a lot of Serbian flags and a lot of Serbian people,” she said. “I heard Serbian, and that’s why I love Australia. I love our people coming here — they really helped me a lot, honestly. Hvala vam puno, stvarno ste mi podrška,” she added, thanking her supporters in Serbian. “Yeah, it was electric.”

One of the pivotal moments came during Williams’ service game at 4–0, when Danilović saved multiple game points before finally breaking back. Even then, her focus remained simple. “Move your legs, move your hands,” she said. “That was the only thing I was saying to myself.”

Williams continued to serve with authority, even as the momentum shifted. “She was serving incredible, honestly,” Danilović said. “In these important moments she was serving so well. If she’s going to play like that, I give the hand and that’s it.”

Instead, Danilović held her nerve, reeled off six of the final eight games, and sealed a victory she described as both surreal and deeply meaningful. “I tried to keep myself calm, and it worked.”