Tomljanovic denies Venus Williams as venus williams exits in Austin
venus williams was eliminated in the ATX Open first round as Ajla Tomljanovic recovered from 3-1 down to win 6-4, 6-1. The result came on a day when Dalma Galfi also defeated Bianca Andreescu in a three-set, 2 hours 11 minutes match.
Match result and context
Ajla Tomljanovic came from 3-1 down in the first set to defeat Venus Williams 6-4, 6-1 in the ATX Open first round. Dalma Galfi overcame Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a rollercoaster that lasted 2 hours and 11 minutes. Two former Grand Slam champions, competing as wild cards in the ATX Open, both fell in their opening matches on Tuesday.
Venus Williams match details
The match swung early: Venus broke immediately, landing a pair of vintage winners and taking advantage of consecutive Tomljanovic double faults, then consolidated for 2-0 with a backhand pass down the line described as her best shot of the match. Venus was later unable to convert two points to hold for 4-2, and the contest began to turn. The seven-time major champion also held two points to level at 5-5 but was 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 reach a decisive 5-1 lead.
Tomljanovic and the Williams sisters
Tomljanovic, a 32-year-old Australian and a semifinalist in Austin last year, had not previously faced Venus and admitted to nerves before the match, describing Venus as an "inspiration" in the sport. She said that Venus and Serena tend to bring the best out in her mentally, that she often asks herself, "What would they do in that moment?" and tries to make it work for her rather than against her. Tomljanovic also said she has tried over the last four years to channel how she was in her Arthur Ashe match against Serena, noting she has "never felt that since. " Four years ago Tomljanovic became the last player to defeat Serena Williams before Serena's retirement in 2022, beating her in the US Open third round 7-5, 6-7, 6-1.
Iva Jovic and the draw impact
Tomljanovic's win meant there will be no inter-generational second-round meeting between Venus and No. 2 seed Iva Jovic. Iva Jovic advanced 6-3, 6-4 over Anna Blinkova. When Jovic was born in December 2007, Venus was already a six-time major champion and was ranked No. 8 after compiling a 50-11 record that season. Instead, Jovic will face Tomljanovic for the first time. Tomljanovic's victory made her one of only two players to be undefeated against both Williams sisters; the other is 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.
Andreescu, Galfi and a truncated finish
Bianca Andreescu 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, including two titles. Against Dalma Galfi the Canadian bounced back from a slow start, overturning a 4-2 deficit to take the second set. Andreescu then staged a dramatic moment in the third: after trailing 5-2 she saved two match points and held two points to level at 5-5, but Galfi raised her level and began finding a series of winners to cl
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Williams' form and schedule
Venus Williams entered Austin upbeat despite losing her first three matches of the 2026 season. She returned to tennis last summer after a 16-month break and won on her comeback in Washington DC against Peyton Stearns. Since then her 2026 record stood at 0-3. Williams accepted a wildcard into the ATX Open and was scheduled to start her ATX Open venture against Ajla Tomljanovic. In doubles she and Peyton Stearns were set to meet Taylor Townsend and Storm Hunter.
Williams began her 2026 campaign at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she lost to Magda Linette in her opening match. That was followed by a defeat to Tatjana Maria at the Hobart International, and then an Australian Open first-round loss against Olga Danilovic. Williams said: "Yeah, I played well. It was very exciting. I put myself in so many great positions, so that was a great opportunity for me to get out there, get the feedback I needed and get out there and get back to work on the practice court. Overall, it’s just been so much fun and I’ve been enjoying the process, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow. " The 45-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champion played at the Australian Open thanks to a wildcard and remains a firm fan favorite who can expect many more wildcards despite a poor run of form. The coverage added that she deserves huge credit for taking on the events and ending the matches with great respect for her opponents, and that women’s and men’s tennis should be doing all they can to feature their superstars because, even with a decline, she remains one of those superstars. A related read mentioned Carlos Alcaraz.
Closing: Ajla Tomljanovic and Dalma Galfi advanced from the ATX Open first round, while Venus Williams and Bianca Andreescu — both wild cards and former Grand Slam champions — were beaten in their opening matches.
