Hobart, Australia – Venus Williams’ Australian Open preparations took a hit Tuesday after falling to Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the first round of the Hobart International. Maria, seeded sixth in the tournament, defeated Williams in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.

The match, held as a tuneup for the upcoming Australian Open, lasted close to one and a half hours. Williams, a veteran of the sport at 45 years old and currently ranked 576th in the world, received a wild-card entry into the Hobart tournament. Maria, 38 and ranked 42nd, proved too strong for the American.

Williams managed to break Maria’s serve once in the opening set but ultimately lost the set after dropping her own serve twice. The German player maintained her advantage into the second set, securing the victory and progressing to the next round.

The match between Williams and Maria was notable for setting a new record on the WTA tour. With a combined age of 83 years, it marked the highest combined age of players in a WTA singles match in history. It’s a testament to the enduring careers of both athletes.

This loss follows another first-round exit for Williams, who recently fell to Magda Linette in Auckland, New Zealand. Despite these setbacks, Williams is gearing up for the Australian Open, which begins this Sunday. She will be the oldest player competing in the tournament, at 45 years old. It remains to be seen how she will fare against the younger competition.