At which Grand Slam did Serena Williams make her first main-draw appearance?

Serena Williams made her first Grand Slam main-draw appearance at the Australian Open.

The milestone came in 1998, when the 16-year-old entered the tournament’s singles main draw in Melbourne. She defeated sixth-seeded Irina Spîrlea in the first round, winning after dropping the opening-set tiebreak. Serena then faced her older sister, Venus Williams, in the second round and lost in straight sets.

That match was significant for two reasons: it was Serena’s first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw and the sisters’ first professional singles meeting. Venus’s victory therefore became an early chapter in one of tennis’s most famous sibling rivalries.

The Australian Open appearance should not be confused with Serena’s first professional tournament. She had played a qualifying event at the 1995 Bell Challenge in Quebec City, but a Grand Slam main draw is a separate milestone. She later won her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open.