At 45, Venus Williams receives wild card for U.S. Open

Two-time U.S. Open winner Venus Williams received a wild-card invitation to play in women’s singles, tournament officials announced Wednesday.

Williams, 45, will make her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2023, when she lost in the first round to Greet Minnen. She hasn’t won a singles match at the U.S. Open since 2019, and will be the oldest singles player at the tournament since Renée Richards in 1981, who competed when she was 47.

The seven-time major singles champion had already received a wild-card entry by the U.S. Tennis Association for the mixed doubles competition, which starts Aug. 19. Williams has 14 women’s doubles and two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles in her career.

After not appearing on tour in nearly 16 months, Williams played at the D.C. Open last month and won her first match, beating fellow American Peyton Stearns, who is 22 years younger than her, in straight sets, becoming the oldest player to win a WTA Tour-level singles match in more than 21 years. She also won a doubles match at the tournament.

At the U.S. Open, she will pair with Reilly Opelka in the mixed doubles tournament. The singles match begins Aug. 24.