Venus Williams receives wildcard for US Open singles at age 46

For Williams, it is a return to the tournament at which she celebrated some of the greatest successes of her career. In Flushing Meadows she won her first two Grand Slam singles titles in 2000 and 2001 and later returned to the final of the tournament several times. Between her US Open victories and the current wildcard lies a break of more than two years, during which she played only a few tournaments due to injury. With the new starting spot, she is, according to the ITF, the oldest participant in the singles main draw of the US Open since Renee Richards in 1981, who was 47 at the time. La tenista de 46 años se convirtió en la participante de mayor edad en el cuadro individual del torneo desde que Renee Richards jugó con 47 años en 1981, según la Federación Internacional de Tenis.

Comeback and significance of the wildcard

After her first-round defeat in Cincinnati, Williams had announced that she would be asked about her upcoming plans. In a brief statement, she said she was looking forward to playing in front of the fans in New York again. Her team confirmed that she will accept the invitation from the US Open. The wildcard was awarded jointly by the US Tennis Association (USTA) and the tournament director. Williams is also expected to play in the doubles alongside her sister Serena Williams, who likewise received a wildcard for the doubles competition.

The awarding of the wildcard is part of a wave of prominent comebacks in women's and men's tennis. The organizers of the US Open have repeatedly awarded wildcards to experienced players in recent years in order to emphasize the mix of stars and emerging talents. With Williams, one of the most well-known athletes in the sport is returning to the stage on which she dominated in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Hintergrund: Zweite Karriere nach langer Pause

Reactions and outlook

Williams had last played an official singles match at the end of 2023. Subsequently, she suffered health problems and at times withdrew from competitive play. It was only this summer that she announced her return and initially played smaller tournaments before returning to the professional tour in Cincinnati. In Cincinnati she lost in the first round, but, according to her own statement, showed good progress in training. The appearance in New York is therefore both a sporting fresh start and a signal to the international tennis circuit.

The stadiums in Flushing Meadows, above all the Arthur Ashe Stadium, have played a special role in the career of the Williams sisters. Venus Williams reached the final of the tournament there four times in total, besides the wins in 2000 and 2001 also in 2002 and 2017. With the planned doubles start alongside her sister, the sibling pair will continue to write itself into these memories. Serena Williams ended her career in 2022 and was also sidelined by several injuries. Both sisters will play in the doubles without a seeding.

Reaktionen und Ausblick

The reactions from the tennis world were predominantly positive. Players and former companions congratulated Williams on her wildcard and emphasized the athletic achievement that her comeback at 46 represents. The USTA pointed out that the award also reflects the growing number of older players in professional tennis. The organizers expect increased media interest and a rise in spectator numbers, particularly for the first-round matches involving the Williams sisters.

In the first round, Venus Williams will face the American J.J. Wolf, who has been able to improve his form in the lead-up. Should she win this match, she would meet the winner of the encounter between a qualifier and a seeded player in the second round. The main draw competition of the US Open begins on 24 August, with the doubles starting a few days later. Williams has announced that she intends to build up her form tournament by tournament and, above all, to stay healthy.