MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff and Venus Williams could meet in the second round of the Australian Open, another potential chapter in a tennis tale that started with a 15-year-old on her Grand Slam debut beating a seven-time major winner at Wimbledon.
Gauff thanked Williams for being such an inspiration for her career after that win at the All England Club in 2019, saying “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.”
She followed it up with a first-round win at the Australian Open in 2020.
Now she’s the No. 3 seed and a two-time major winner. The 45-year-old Williams has a wild-card entry for the Australian Open, where she’s playing for the first time in five years.
The tournament starts Sunday at Melbourne Park. When the draw was conducted Thursday, Gauff was drawn to open against No. 91-ranked Kamilla Rakhimova and No. 576-ranked Williams — who made her Australian Open debut in 1998 and has twice reached the final — was drawn to face No. 68-ranked Olga Danilovic in the first round.
Williams is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.
To have any chance of facing Gauff again, she needs to do something she hasn't done in 2026: record a win. In the last two weeks, Williams played tournaments in New Zealand and in Hobart, losing in the first round at both.
After a 6-4, 6-3 win over Williams on Tuesday, Tatjana Maria said it was a tough one because “everyone loves Venus. I love her, too."
Gauff and Williams are in the same half of the draw as top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who won back-to-back Australian Open titles before losing last year's final to Madison Keys.
Sabalenka, who opened her season with a title in Brisbane last week, has a potential third-round meeting against 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu.
Defending champion Keys, who lost her quarterfinal match at the Adelaide International to rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko in three sets on Thursday, was drawn into the same quarter as No. 6 Jessica Pegula, and No. 4 Amanda Anisimova.
No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek, seeking a career Grand Slam with her first title at Melbourne Park, is in the bottom quarter on that side of the draw and has a potential fourth-round match against four-time major winner Naomi Osaka.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic landed in the same half of the draw, setting up a potential semifinal between the defending champion and the 24-time major winner.
Djokovic, who has won 10 Australian titles but hasn't gone past the semifinals at Melbourne Park since 2023, played an exhibition against Frances Tiafoe on Rod Laver Arena hours after the draw was made. He withdrew last week from a warmup tournament in Adelaide to give himself more time to be ready for the Open.
Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz is on the opposite side to Sinner and Djokovic, and has Tiafoe and local hope and sixth-seeded Alex De Minaur in his quarter of the draw.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Coco Gauff of the United States plays a forehand return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Cargill today announced the maiden voyage of Brave Pioneer, the first of five green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessels chartered by the company. The deployment of the Brave Pioneer marks another important milestone in Cargill’s broader decarbonization efforts – one focused on innovation, testing and learning as the company works with customers and partners to refine future-ready solutions for Cargill and the industry.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114083757/en/
Built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and owned by Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Brave Pioneer is equipped to operate on both conventional marine fuels and green methanol, a lower-carbon alternative. The estimated CO2 saving of using green methanol compared to conventional fuel is up to 70%.
The ship departs the Philippines today, will bunker green methanol in Singapore, then proceed to Western Australia before sailing onward to Europe. Through Brave Pioneer ’s maiden voyage, Cargill will conduct a series of operational trials designed evaluate methanol bunkering readiness, understand how environmental attributes can be traced and verified through carbon accounting systems, and assess market appetite for low-carbon freight services.
“Decarbonising global shipping requires a mix of technologies and the willingness to take bold steps before the entire ecosystem is ready,” said Jan Dieleman, President of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business. “Technologies like green methanol or wind-assisted propulsion come with uncertainty. But as an industry leader, we have a responsibility to test these innovations on the water, share what we learn, and help shape the systems and standards that will enable wider adoption.”
Setting the Stage for a New Low-Carbon Fleet
The launch of Brave Pioneer paves the way for the four additional vessels that will join Cargill’s fleet over the coming years. The addition of these vessels strengthens Cargill’s multi-solution decarbonization approach, which includes wind-assisted propulsion, voyage optimization technologies, energy-efficiency retrofits and exploration of alternative fuels such as biofuels and ethanol.
Each represents another step in the company’s broader efforts to embed sustainability into global ocean supply chains and support customers looking for practical, lower-carbon freight options.
“We know the road to low carbon shipping will require a mix of solutions and green methanol is one part of that portfolio,” Dieleman continued. “Our new fleet is about optionality and adaptability. These vessels are engineered to perform at a best-in-class level on conventional fuel today, while allowing us to switch to greener fuels as availability improves. It’s a practical way to future-proof ocean transport.”
As one of the world’s largest charterers of dry bulk freight, Cargill’s actions send a strong demand signal to the market and serve as an open invitation for others in the maritime sector to join in advancing the transition to sustainable shipping.
The initiative supports Cargill’s broader effort to reduce supply chain emissions and invest and test practical innovations that advance progress toward a more sustainable global food system. Green methanol-enabled vessels—paired with the eventual expansion of renewable fuel supply—are expected to play a meaningful role in reducing maritime emissions over the coming decade.
About Cargill
Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.
Our 160,000 team members innovate with purpose, providing customers with life’s essentials so businesses can grow, communities prosper, and consumers live well. With 159 years of experience as a family company, we look ahead while remaining true to our values. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing—today and for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
Through Brave Pioneer’s maiden voyage, Cargill will conduct a series of operational trials designed evaluate methanol bunkering readiness, understand how environmental attributes can be traced and verified through carbon accounting systems, and assess market appetite for low-carbon freight services.
The ship departs the Philippines today, will bunker green methanol in Singapore, then proceed to Western Australia before sailing onward to Europe.
Built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and owned by Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Brave Pioneer is equipped to operate on both conventional marine fuels and green methanol, a lower-carbon alternative.
