Venus Williams Receives US Open Singles Wild Card

Venus Williams has received a wild card into the US Open singles tournament, securing her place in the main draw that begins on August 30. The U.S. Tennis Association announced the women’s wild-card selections on Tuesday, with one of the eight entries still to be revealed.

Williams, 46, returns to a tournament she has won twice. She also received a singles wild card last year, when she made her first US Open appearance since 2023. According to the International Tennis Federation, that appearance made her the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards played at age 47 in 1981.

The remaining unannounced women’s wild card has led to continued attention around the possibility of Serena Williams joining her sister in the singles field. The tournament is keeping the place open, although no final recipient has been announced by the USTA.

Williams sisters remain in the US Open conversation

Venus Williams has continued to play some singles matches, while she and Serena recently reunited in doubles. This week, the sisters played their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 US Open at the Cincinnati Open.

They were beaten on Monday by Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in a match tiebreaker. The Cincinnati appearance followed plans for the sisters to play at Wimbledon, where they ultimately had to withdraw after Serena Williams injured her knee in her singles match.

That Wimbledon singles outing was Serena Williams’ first since the 2022 US Open. Afterward, she indicated that she hoped to continue competing if healthy. At 44, a return to the US Open would bring the sisters back together at a tournament closely connected with both of their careers, but the final women’s wild card remains pending.

Alongside Venus Williams, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was among the six other women named as wild-card recipients. Stephens won the tournament in 2017. Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston also received women’s singles wild cards.

The announcement gives Williams a confirmed route into the singles draw and places renewed focus on the final open place. The US Open qualifying tournaments are scheduled for earlier in the same week as the main draw, before singles competition gets underway on August 30.

Men’s wild cards include Monfils and Popyrin

On the men’s side, Gael Monfils and Alexei Popyrin headlined the announced wild cards. Monfils, 39, is set to play his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring. Popyrin previously reached the fourth round of the US Open in 2024 after defeating Novak Djokovic.

Two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng also received a men’s wild card, along with Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy. One of the eight men’s wild-card spots is also being held open.

For Venus Williams, the immediate outcome is clear: she will be back in the US Open singles field. The unresolved women’s entry means the tournament’s final wild-card announcement will remain a key development before the draw begins.