Venus Williams loses in Auckland but shows she remains competitive

Venus Williams lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Magda Linette in Auckland but served seven aces and moved well; she has wild-card entries for Hobart and the Australian Open.

Venus Williams was defeated by Magda Linette 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 at the WTA tournament in Auckland on Tuesday. The 45-year-old produced a competitive display, moving freely, serving seven aces and hitting hard on both wings. It was her 1,101st singles match on the WTA Tour and her first match since the U.S. Open in August. Williams received wild-card entries for the Hobart International and the Australian Open and will travel to Australia next. Match details: - Scoreline: Magda Linette won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. - Opponent information: Linette was the fifth seed and is ranked No. 52. - Milestone: The match was Williams' 1,101st WTA singles match and she is 45 years old. - On-court performance: Williams served seven aces, moved well around the court and produced hard groundstrokes. - Recent context and entries: This was her first match since the U.S. Open; she received wild-card entries for Hobart (from Jan. 12) and the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Summary: The match demonstrated that Williams can still compete effectively against younger opponents, combining experience with effective serving and movement. The result ends her Auckland run and leads into her scheduled appearances in Hobart and at the Australian Open.