The former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion first made her comeback last summer after a 16-month break from the sport, reaching the second round of the Washington Open before also featuring at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.
The start of the new season has seen Williams compete across three tournaments, beginning with the Auckland Open, followed by the Hobart International, and the Australian Open. Although she was beaten by Magda Linette in Auckland and Tatjana Maria in Hobart, the veteran star delivered a memorable performance in Melbourne.
At the Australian Open, Williams made history by becoming the oldest woman in the Open Era to appear in the women’s singles main draw, marking her record 22nd appearance at the tournament. She pushed Serbia’s Olga Danilovic to three sets in a dramatic first-round clash, even leading 4–0 in the deciding set before narrowly losing 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4.
Following the match, Williams did not immediately confirm her next tournament, but it has since been announced that she will compete at the ATX Open in Austin later this month. The WTA 250 event, scheduled from February 23 to March 1, will see the American enter via a wildcard.
“I’m so excited to be heading to Austin and playing my first ATX Open,” Williams said. “The city has great energy and the fans are incredible. I’m looking forward to competing in both singles and doubles.”
Williams will join a competitive field led by world No. 6 Jessica Pegula, the defending champion, alongside McCartney Kessler, Iva Jovic, Peyton Stearns, and Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. Her return in Austin has also sparked hopes of appearances at Indian Wells and Miami in March, as the tennis icon continues her remarkable journey back to the tour.