45-year-old Venus Williams to play in French Open women's doubles with Hailey Baptiste

Venus Williams, of the United States, plays a backhand return to Olga Danilovic, of Serbia, during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

PARIS — Venus Williams will play in the women’s doubles at the French Open this month together with Hailey Baptiste, who is 21 years her junior.

The American pair were among the entrants confirmed on Wednesday by organizers for the clay-court tournament at Roland-Garros, which begins on May 24 in western Paris.

The 45-year-old Williams will not play in the women’s singles.

Williams was a wild-card entry at the Australian Open, where she lost in the first round and became the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open singles main draw.

A seven-time major winner in singles, Williams previously held the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles.

Williams lost the French Open singles final to her younger sister Serena in 2002 and they twice won the French Open doubles together, in 1999 and 2010.

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The Associated Press