Venus Williams, 45, Will Be Oldest Us Open Singles Entrant In 44 Years

Venus Williams will make her return to Grand Slam singles astatine nan US Open aft a two-year absence, having received a wildcard invitation Wednesday to compete astatine Flushing Meadows astatine property 45.

Williams will beryllium nan oldest singles entrant astatine nan tourney since Renee Richards played location astatine 47 successful 1981, according to nan International Tennis Federation.

The seven-time awesome singles champion – including US Open titles successful 2000 and 2001 – already had been fixed a wildcard for adjacent week’s mixed doubles title successful New York. Singles matches statesman 24 August.

Williams past played successful a Grand Slam arena astatine nan 2023 US Open, losing successful nan first round. She has not won a singles lucifer location since 2019. Her return to nan circuit came past period astatine nan DC Open, her first lucifer anyplace successful 16 months. Asked past if it would beryllium a one-off appearance, Williams replied: “I’m conscionable present for now, and who knows? Maybe there’s more. … I decidedly consciousness I’ll play well. I’m still nan aforesaid player. I’m a large hitter. This is my brand.”

The comeback follows room past twelvemonth to region uterine fibroids, which sidelined her for astir of nan season. In Washington, she became nan oldest female to triumph a tour-level singles lucifer since Martina Navratilova astatine Wimbledon successful 2004. She besides drew headlines for announcing her engagement to an Italian character and joking that she needed to get backmost connected tribunal for nan wellness insurance.

Williams, who has besides won 14 women’s doubles titles pinch her sister Serena and 2 successful mixed doubles, entered nan Cincinnati Open via a chaotic paper past week but lost successful nan first information of singles. In New York, she will play mixed doubles pinch American Reilly Opelka.

Other women’s singles chaotic cards went to Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn; France’s Caroline Garcia, who will discontinue aft nan tournament; and Australia’s Talia Gibson.

Men’s chaotic cards went to Americans Brandon Holt, Nishesh Basavareddy, Tristan Boyer, Emilio Nava, Stefan Dostanic and Darwin Blanch; France’s Valentin Royer; and Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate.