By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-18 20:50:50 | Updated at 2026-08-20 03:19:39
1 day ago
Venus Williams is set to compete at her 26th US Open with the tennis legend set to return to the Grand Slam she has won twice.
The 46-year-old was given one of eight singles wild cards for the tournament in Flushing Meadows on Tuesday.
She has become the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards played at 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner received a wild card last year, returning to the event for the first time since 2023.
Williams first played in New York 29 years ago and reached the final on her singles debut in 1997.
The American won two of her seven Grand Slam singles titles at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001.
Venus Williams has received a singles wild card for this year's US open at the age of 46
A final one is still to be announced with it widely expected to be for Serena Williams
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, was one of six other women to receive a wild card, and the US Tennis Association said the final one is still to be announced.
That almost certainly would go to Serena Williams, if she decides she wants to return to the tournament at 44.
However, many tennis fans were left in uproar with many believing the wild card spot should have gone to a younger player over Venus.
One fan wrote on X: 'Another year of wasting wild cards...'
'Venus does not deserve WCs any more,' claimed another. 'So glad that Fedal understands how to retire gracefully.'
'I will get criticized for this but Venus doesn't deserve a wildcard. A young female player deserves the spot,' added a third.
'Complete waste and denying a up and coming player much needed experience,' echoed a fourth.
Another wrote: 'What a complete waste, she’s stealing someone else’s place.. she’s washed up and will get beat in two sets whoever she plays #embarrassing.'
Venus and Serena played their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 US Open
Venus has won the singles twice at Flushimg Meadows in 2000 and 2001
'Serena doesn’t deserve a WC after what she pulled at Wimbledon not even doing press after. Totally disrespectful. And Venus needs to stop taking WC spots as well.' one social media user said.
Venus has continued to play some singles matches and this week joined Serena for their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 US Open. They lost Monday at the Cincinnati Open in a match tiebreaker against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.
The sisters planned to play at Wimbledon but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee in her singles match. That marked her first time playing singles since the 2022 US Open, and she indicated afterward that she hoped to keep competing if healthy.
Headlining the wild-card recipients on the men's side were 39-year-old Gael Monfils, a past US Open semifinalist who is set to play his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring, and Australian Alexei Popyrin, who upset Novak Djokovic in 2024 on the way to the fourth round.
One spot is also being held among the eight men's wild cards. Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion at Flushing Meadows who at 41 is playing his final season, could be a candidate for that.
Also receiving women's wild cards were Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston.
The other men receiving wild cards were two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy.
Kei Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up who also is retiring, was given a wild card into the men's qualifying tournament, along with Jordan Lee, Trevor Svajda, Andre Ilagan, Spencer Johnson, Michael Antonius, Andrew Johnson and Daniel Milavsky.
Women given spots in the qualifying tournament were Caroline Dolehide, Janae Preston, Katrina Scott, Ayana Akli, Annika Penickova, Julieta Pareja, Kristina Penickova and Savannah Broadus.
The main draw begins August 30, with the qualifying tournaments being played earlier that week.
