In Hobart, 45-year-old Venus, despite the support of the audience, was defeated in the first round by German tennis player Tatjana Maria with a score of 4:6, 3:6. This event became significant in WTA history, as the combined age of the opponents was 83 years, setting a record for singles matches.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion, currently ranked 576th in the world, started the match with a confident break, but the 38-year-old Maria quickly regained balance, achieving a double break in the first set and then confidently maintained her lead in the second.
This tournament was an important stage in Venus's preparation for the Australian Open, where she received a special invitation (wild card). This start in Melbourne will be historic for the athlete:
She will return to the Australian courts after five years of absence.
According to forecasts, Venus will become the oldest participant in the main draw of the tournament, breaking the previous record held by Japanese tennis player Kimiko Date, who participated in the tournament in 2015 at the age of 44.
The tournament in Hobart also surprised spectators with other events. Among those eliminated was two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova, who lost in a tense battle to American Peyton Stearns with a score of 4:6, 6:1, 6:7 (4).
