Venus Williams Gets US Open Wild Card at 45/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Venus Williams, 45, will return to Grand Slam tennis at the 2025 U.S. Open after receiving a singles wild card. She will be the oldest singles player at the event since 1981. Williams, a two-time U.S. Open champion, last played a major in 2023.
Venus Williams US Open Return Quick Looks
- Venus Williams awarded 2025 U.S. Open singles wild card.
- At 45, she’ll be oldest singles entrant since Renee Richards in 1981.
- Owns seven Grand Slam singles titles, including two U.S. Open crowns.
- Last U.S. Open singles win came in 2019; last Grand Slam appearance in 2023.
- Recently returned from injury and surgery, winning a match at DC Open.
- Will also play mixed doubles with Reilly Opelka.
- Other wild cards include Clervie Ngounoue, Caroline Garcia, and Brandon Holt.
Venus Williams Gets US Open Wild Card at 45
Deep Look
NEW YORK — Venus Williams, one of the most enduring icons in tennis, is set to make a remarkable comeback at the 2025 U.S. Open after being granted a singles wild card by the U.S. Tennis Association. The 45-year-old American will be the oldest player to compete in the singles draw at Flushing Meadows since Renee Richards, who was 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion — and two-time U.S. Open winner in 2000 and 2001 — has been absent from Grand Slam singles competition since the 2023 U.S. Open, where she fell in the first round. Her last singles victory at the event came in 2019. The announcement marks a milestone not only for her career longevity but also for the tournament’s history.
Williams had already secured a wild card for next week’s mixed doubles event in New York, partnering with 27-year-old American Reilly Opelka. Singles play at the U.S. Open begins August 24, while the mixed doubles tournament will be held August 19-20.
A Career That Continues to Defy Time
In her career, Venus Williams has amassed seven major singles titles, 14 women’s doubles titles (all alongside her younger sister Serena Williams), and two mixed doubles titles. Serena, who retired after the 2022 U.S. Open with 23 major singles titles, has long been her fiercest rival and greatest ally.
Williams’ most recent return to the tour came just last month at the DC Open, marking her first competitive match in 16 months. When asked if that event was a one-off or the start of a larger comeback, she remained noncommittal but hinted at more to come:
“I’m just here for now, and who knows? … I definitely feel I’ll play well. I’m still the same player. I’m a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.”
Her return follows a challenging period in which she underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids and missed most of the previous season. She had not played since March 2024, when she competed at the Miami Open.
Making History Along the Way
In Washington this July, Williams became the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 2004. She also secured a doubles victory at the DC Open. Her performance drew media attention both for her on-court resilience and for off-court revelations, including her engagement to an Italian actor and lighthearted remarks about returning to the tour partly for health insurance coverage.
Mark Ein, chairman of the DC Open, expressed both surprise and admiration at her decision to return:
“I love Venus. We’re friends. I didn’t really know this was something she was still wanting to do … It was a wonderful surprise.”
Recent Form and U.S. Open Preparation
Williams accepted another wild card at last week’s Cincinnati Open but exited in the first round of singles. Despite these early losses, her presence on the court remains a draw for fans and fellow players, and her experience on the big stage is unmatched.
She will face a competitive field in New York, including several other wild card entrants: Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman, and Alyssa Ahn, along with France’s Caroline Garcia — who will retire after the U.S. Open — and Australia’s Talia Gibson.
On the men’s side, wild cards went to Americans Brandon Holt, Nishesh Basavareddy, Tristan Boyer, Emilio Nava, Stefan Dostanic, and Darwin Blanch, as well as France’s Valentin Royer and Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate.
Looking Ahead
For Williams, the 2025 U.S. Open is more than just a tournament — it’s a statement about perseverance, love for the game, and rewriting expectations for longevity in professional sports. Whether or not she makes a deep run, her presence ensures a historic chapter in tennis history.
Fans will be watching closely to see if the power and precision that once made her one of the most feared players on tour can still produce magic under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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