Novak Djokovic is welcome at Australian Open, says tournament director; Russian and Belarusian players can compete in Sydney
This article is more than 2 years old
This article is more than 2 years old
Venus Williams is returning to the Australian Open after a five-year stint away.
Kerber of Switzerland had never won a major title before; she will now face Williams, her long-time rival, in the quarter-final.
“I’m excited,” Williams said about her return. “I have a lot of fun in my life and I love to play.”
The 37-year-old world number one will be joined by her old rival, also 37 and the highest ranked woman in the world in 2017, Caroline Wozniacki, at the grand slam.
Venus Williams is returning to the Australian Open after a five-year stint away Read more
Williams did not have to wait long for her return to the grand slam. A fortnight ago, the Russian and Belarusian tennis players, both 34, were seeded into the main draw of the tournament. After beating the former French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, the two women will be in the quarter-final.
Williams had been due to play her former rival Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarter-finals, but her withdrawal due to illness meant that Wozniacki was drawn into the quarter-finals instead.
Despite having to play Suarez Navarro in her own quarter-final, Wozniacki remains confident.
“She’s an aggressive player,” Wozniacki said. “She has a really good style of play. It should be a very entertaining match.”
When asked if she was surprised at how well she played against Suarez Navarro, Wozniacki, who has never won a major title, said: “When I arrived at the tournament I thought, ‘Oh my God
