Tomljanovic denies Venus Williams in Austin; Galfi ends Andreescu return

Ajla Tomljanovic ended venus williams' challenge in the ATX Open first round, beating her 6-4, 6-1, while Dalma Galfi overcame Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a 2 hours and 11 minutes encounter. The results left two former Grand Slam champions, both competing as wild cards, defeated in their opening matches on Tuesday, reshaping the early draw.

Tomljanovic’s comeback, career echoes and pre-match nerves

Tomljanovic rallied from 3-1 down in the first set to beat venus williams 6-4, 6-1. The 32-year-old Australian, a semifinalist in Austin last year, had not previously faced the elder Williams sister and admitted she felt nerves ahead of the match against a player she described as an "inspiration" in the sport. Four years earlier Tomljanovic became the last player to defeat Serena Williams before Serena’s retirement in 2022, winning their US Open third-round match 7-5, 6-7, 6-1, a performance she says she still tries to channel in key moments.

Venus Williams' early lead and the turning points

The 45-year-old opened strongly, breaking immediately and converting a pair of vintage winners while Ajla Tomljanovic committed consecutive double faults; Venus consolidated for 2-0 with a backhand pass down the line described as her best shot of the match. Venus, a seven-time major champion, was unable to convert two points to hold for 4-2 and later held two points to level at 5-5, only to be denied when Tomljanovic produced a wildly spun sliced winner that caught the top of the tape. In the second set Tomljanovic won two key multi-deuce games, saved two break points to hold for 2-1 and then converted her fourth break point to move to a decisive 5-1 lead.

Draw ripple effects: Iva Jovic, Anna Blinkova and the missed inter-generational meeting

The outcome ensured there would be no inter-generational second-round match between Venus and No. 2 seed Iva Jovic. Jovic advanced 6-3, 6-4 over Anna Blinkova and will face Tomljanovic for the first time. When Jovic was born in December 2007, Venus was already a six-time major champion and had been ranked No. 8 after compiling a 50-11 record that season — a contrast that underlined the generational gap that would have been on display had the match gone ahead.

Andreescu’s comeback match and Galfi’s rollercoaster

Dalma Galfi’s three-set win over Bianca Andreescu finished 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in 2 hours and 11 minutes. Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, was playing her first WTA main-draw match since Tokyo last October. In January she opted against playing the Australian swing and instead compiled a 13-1 record at ITF level that included two titles. Against Galfi the Canadian bounced back from a slow start, used fine net play to overturn a 4-2 deficit and take the second set, and in the third saved two match points and held two points to level at 5-5; Galfi then raised her level just in time, finding a series of winners as the match reached its conclusion.

Pre-match notes and Day 2 perspectives, including Venus Williams vs Tomljanovic

Day 2 in Austin was billed as a slate of hard-court matchups on a surface that rewards first-strike tennis and clean ball-striking, with a mix of tour regulars, returning players and home hopefuls in action. Predictions circulated for every match on the schedule including Venus Williams, with several pre-match observations noted: Mary Stoiana entered as a home wildcard carrying momentum from lower-level hard-court runs and a strong recent showing; Zakharova was described as having a mixed start to 2026 with decent wins and some early exits on hard courts; and Stoiana’s comfort in the conditions and steadier recent play were seen as advantages for her aggressive game.

On the Andreescu front, observers highlighted that she had built confidence through recent matches and a comeback run, that she is dangerous on hard courts when healthy thanks to variety and power, and that Dalma Galfi has been consistent even if not matching explosiveness at times. For the Tomljanovic–Venus matchup, commentary pointed to Tomljanovic putting together more consistent stretches on hard courts, with cleaner movement and baseline reliability, while Venus Williams brings experience and a big serve despite limited results this season; the view offered was that Tomljanovic’s steadier form and comfort in longer rallies would give her the tools to handle the matchup effectively.