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Kim Clijsters opens up on Venus Williams and her debated Australian Open wildcard

Originally posted on HITC | By Matthew Johns | Last updated Jan 9, 2026 11:25 AM ET

Venus Williams being handed a wildcard for the Australian Open has not gone down well with everyone.

It has been a while since Venus won a Grand Slam match, and some have questioned why the 45-year-old was chosen to take part in Melbourne.

But there has also been plenty of support. Coco Gauff, for instance, said she was glad to see Venus given another chance, and Andy Roddick has come out in her defence too.

Now Kim Clijsters has weighed in on the decision. While acknowledging Williams’ struggles over recent years, Clijsters pointed to her legendary status in the sport.

Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Kim Clijsters shares her thoughts on Venus Williams’ Australian Open wildcard

Clijsters, who famously won the 2009 US Open as a wildcard and is also an Australian Open champion, spoke in favour of giving Williams a spot in Melbourne.

“What to me stands out the most is her joy on the tennis court,” said Clijsters. “I felt that at the US Open already, it’s just so much fun to see her play, be happy out there, to be competing so hard, still. She’s such a great champion,” she said.

“She just got married, I think we’ve all seen the pictures from Vogue, she looked beautiful, happy, and she’s still carrying that with her on the road.”

The 42-year-old Belgian added: “To see her healthy, I’m really excited to watch her play, and there are a few players, for me, from my generation, that I love to watch that are still out there competing and she’s one of them. She’s great to watch, has big weapons, has that long wingspan where she can still cover the court, maybe she’s not as fast as she used to be, but she can still cover the court very well and better than some of the players that are out there now who are a lot younger than her.

“So, it will be very interesting to watch, and that’s what it’s all about. I love seeing all the different, the new up-and-coming players and then having somebody like Venus in the draw, and seeing them compete against each other is what I love to watch as a tennis fan.”

Looking back at Venus Williams’ top finish in Melbourne

Williams is set to make history at the Australian Open this year, marking her 22nd appearance. In doing so, she will be the oldest woman to compete in the tournament’s main draw.

However, despite all her experience, Williams has not played at the tournament since 2021.

The Australian Open is one of two majors where Williams has yet to lift the trophy, although she did reach the final twice – once in 2003 and again in 2017.

Before heading to Melbourne, Williams is scheduled to play at the WTA 250 event in Hobart after receiving a wildcard entry.

Following that event, she will return to Melbourne Park for her comeback appearance, with main draw action set to begin on January 18th.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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