Venus Williams, a tennis icon and former world number one, will compete in the Auckland tournament in January 2026, marking another chapter in her extraordinary career at 45 years old.
Organizers announced Wednesday that Williams received a wild card entry for the tournament, scheduled from January 5-11.
The event will serve as a crucial preparatory step for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, held later that month between January 18 and February 1.
Her return to the court follows an almost 18-month absence from the professional circuit.
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, made her comeback in July in Washington. There, she faced Peyton Stearns, a 24-year-old American player who was born after Williams secured her first Wimbledon title in 2000.
During the summer, Williams played two more matches, losing both but managing to take a set from then-world number 13 Karolina Muchova at the U.S. Open.
Nicolas Lamperin, the Auckland tournament director, praised Williams. “She is one of the great players of the modern era and her performance on court speaks for itself,” Lamperin said.
He added that Williams “had a great influence on the evolution of women’s tennis and inspired subsequent generations with her unwavering passion for the sport.”
Williams previously won the Auckland Classic in 2015, defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.
Her illustrious career includes five Wimbledon titles, two U.S. Open victories, and an Olympic gold medal from the Sydney 2000 Games.