Venus Williams, 46, has received one of eight singles wild cards for the upcoming US Open, marking her 26th appearance in the New York Grand Slam. Williams, a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, becomes the oldest singles entrant in the tournament since Renee Richards in 1981.
This marks Williams' return to the event after receiving a wild card last year. She first competed at the US Open 29 years ago, reaching the singles final in 1997. Her victories at the tournament came in 2000 and 2001.
Several other women received wild cards, including 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. The final women's singles wild card remains unannounced, with speculation that it may be reserved for Serena Williams, who is 44.
The decision to award Venus Williams a wild card has drawn significant criticism from tennis fans on social media. Many expressed the sentiment that the spot should be given to a developing younger player, with comments describing the decision as a "complete waste" and that Williams is "stealing someone else’s place."
In other wild card announcements, 39-year-old Gael Monfils, a former US Open semifinalist, is set to play his final Grand Slam. Australian Alexei Popyrin, who defeated Novak Djokovic earlier in 2024, also received a men's singles wild card. One men's spot is also still to be announced, with speculation suggesting it could go to 41-year-old Stan Wawrinka.
Venus and Serena Williams recently competed together in their first doubles tournament since the 2022 US Open, losing in a tiebreaker at the Cincinnati Open this week. Serena Williams' last singles appearance was at the 2022 US Open, and she indicated a desire to continue competing if healthy.
The US Open main draw begins on August 30, with qualifying tournaments taking place earlier that week.