Venus Williams has been handed a wild card into the Auckland Classic as the 45-year-old’s comeback continues

Venus Williams earned a wildcard to the Auckland Classic in January.

The 45-year-old returned to the sport this summer after spending more than a year away from competition, beating world number 35 Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open to become the second oldest woman to win a tour-level match.

She also suffered in the first round of the US Open with an emotional three-set defeat, losing to 11th seed Karolina Muchova after receiving a wildcard into her domestic major.

Williams won the US Open singles title twice during the peak of her career, but it was Wimbledon where she shined, winning five times between 2000 and 2008. She never won the Australian Open or Roland Garros, and lost a total of ten Grand Slam finals, including seven to her sister Serena.

The Auckland Classic begins on January 5, and is usually used by the world’s best players as a warm-up before the Australian Open, which begins on January 18.

Tournament Director, Nicolas Lambrin, said: “Venus has had a profound impact on the development of women’s tennis and has inspired the next generation with her unwavering passion for the sport. All sports fans should seize this opportunity to witness one of the sport’s all-time greats.”