Venus Williams set to play in Austin tournament

What they're saying: "I'm so excited to be heading to Austin and playing my first ATX Open," Williams told Axios in a texted statement. "The city has such great energy and I've heard the fans are incredible."

The big picture: The legendary and beloved player has been indefatigable in her efforts to regain glory on the court.

• Earlier this year, Williams, 45, became the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open singles main draw.
• She lost in the first round, but not before taking a 4-0 lead in the third set against opponent Olga Danilovic.

Zoom in: Jessica Pegula, ranked No. 6 in the world, will be back in the Austin draw to defend her title, after making it to the semifinals in the Australian Open.

• Also in the mix at the WTA event, Peyton Stearns, a University of Texas alumna and NCAA champion; Australian Ajla Tomljanović, a three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist; and rising American star Iva Jovic, who reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in Melbourne.
• "This is our strongest player field yet," tournament director Christo Van Rensburg tells Axios. "With Venus joining the action... we couldn't be more excited for what awaits."

The intrigue: Williams' sister, Serena, declined to rule out a comeback in a recent appearance on NBC's Today show.

• Another potential fan for Venus Williams in the stands: Her husband, Danish-Italian actor and model Andrea Preti. The pair married in December.

The bottom line: Venus Williams will play in the singles and doubles draw at the ATX Open, which launched in 2023.

If you go: The tournament runs Feb. 21 to March 1 at Westwood Country Club.

• Tickets range from $10 a day for the qualifying rounds to $65 to watch the singles and doubles finals.