Venus Williams 'up for the challenge' of Australian Open at 45

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams said Saturday she was “up for the challenge” as she gets set to become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open at age 45.

The United States great is back at Melbourne Park for the first time in five years and said she was grateful to have the chance to prove she still has what it takes.

The former world number one, now ranked 576, faces 68th-ranked Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the first round on Sunday after being handed a wildcard.

Williams has played only sporadically in recent years and lost in the first round of both of her warm-up tournaments.

“I’m super, super grateful for the opportunity from Tennis Australia. Grateful for the opportunity to play in front of the fans,” she said.

“I have just received so much support in the tournaments leading up, walking around the city and everything. My hope is to play my best.”

A five-time Wimbledon champion, Williams was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017 and won the doubles title four times alongside sister Serena.

“This is the greatest place on Earth to play,” she said.

“I have had amazing memories here. I love challenges, so I’m up for the challenge.”

Asked by reporters what it meant to trump Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015, Williams said: “I hadn’t thought about it till it came out in the press, so yay, yay for me.

“Let’s do this.”